Terminal device in document information communication system

ABSTRACT

A terminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmission document information are transferred via a network between terminal devices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups, the terminal device comprising a document information storage unit which stores document information which is made up of a plurality of document elements which are to be transmitted, a terminal device arrangement information storage unit for storing terminal device arrangement information made up of each group name, a type of each terminal device provided at each group and an address of each terminal device, a terminal device capability information control unit for controlling terminal device capability information which shows what kinds of document information can be outputted by each type of terminal device, a transmission document information creation unit for selecting terminal devices based on the group name of a group to be transmitted to and the terminal device arrangement information and for creating sets of the transmission document information from the document information to be transmitted in accordance with the terminal device capability information and a transmission unit for transmitting the created sets of transmission document information to the selected terminal devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to terminal devices, such as e-nailterminals and portable information terminals, connected via a network ina document information communication system.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of a varietyof communication devices such as telephones, facsimiles, digital mobiletelephones, PHS (personal handy phone system), portable communicationterminals, pagers capable of receiving a message and workstationsconnected to LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network). Thissituation provides users with many opportunities to handle differenttypes of communication terminal devices.

Therefore, there is increasing demand for improved capability oftransmitting and receiving a multimedia document which includes data ofdifferent media attributes, such as audio data, character data, stillimage data, motion picture data and hand-written data. However, suchcommunication terminal devices are not readily available to users due totheir high cost and bulky size.

A protocol called MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) has beenestablished for transmitting such multimedia document in datacommunication. According to MIME, a plurality of document elementsconstitute a document, each having a single media attribute and meaning.Each document element has data showing its media attribute and displaymethod.

MIME is described in detail in "Network Working Group Request forComments 1341".

Generally, a communication terminal device for transmitting a documentincluding different media attributes has a document described in MIMEand transmits it to a receiver terminal device. The receiver terminaldevice decodes the document elements included in the document based ontheir media attribute data. When the document includes data of a mediaattribute which cannot be decoded and displayed (outputted), this datais ignored by the receiver terminal device.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of the terminal device in the conventionaldocument information communication system. Transmitter terminal device11 and receiver terminal device 12 are connected via network 13.Transmitter terminal device 11 comprises document information storageunit 14 and transmission unit 15. Receiver terminal device 12 comprisesreception unit 16 and document output unit 17.

Document 20 in FIG. 2 is transmitted from terminal device 11 to terminaldevice 12 as follows. Document 20 comprises document elements 21, 22,23, 24 and 25 having "character" as their media attributes and documentelement 26 having "monochrome still picture" as its media attribute.

Document information storage unit 14 stores document 20 in the form ofdocument information control table 30 shown in FIG. 3. Documentinformation control table 30 comprises element data 31, element datasize 32 and media attribute 33. For example, in the case of documentelement 21 "Notice of a Meeting", its media attribute is "character" anddata size is "19". In the case of document element 26, its mediaattribute is "monochrome still picture" and data size is "1000".

Transmission unit 15 receives a user's indication of a transmissiondestination terminal (which can be any of the terminals) and documentinformation, reads document information control table 30 stored indocument information storage unit 14 and transmits it to reception unit16 of terminal device 12 via network 13.

Reception unit 16 of terminal device 12 receives document informationcontrol table 30 transmitted from terminal device 11. Document outputunit 17 decodes information control table 30 and outputs it to thedisplay screen. If terminal device 12 has the same function (outputcapability) as terminal device 11, document output unit 17 outputs thesame document as document 20 shown in FIG. 2 to the display screen.However, if terminal device 12 is a character e-mail terminal which iscapable of decoding only element data having "character" as its mediaattribute, the terminal device outputs only element data of documentelements 21, 22, . . . , 25 to the display screen, as is shown in FIG.4.

As the character e-mail terminal is not capable of decoding anddisplaying (outputting) the element data of document element 26, thereception of this document 26 is futile.

As mentioned above, it was often likely that such futile communicationis often performed by the conventional document informationcommunication system, as transmitter terminal device 11 transmits all ofthe information in document information control table 30 stored indocument information storage unit 14 regardless of the output capabilityof receiver terminal device 12.

In addition to this problem, it has also not been possible to transmitall of document 20 to receiver terminal device 12.

It can be the case that the intended receiver of the data is inpossession of another communication device, aside from receiver terminal12, which is capable of outputting a different part of the documentdata. However, in this case, it is still impossible to avoid the futiletransmission of data which cannot be outputted to both devices.

Receiver terminal device 12 is indicated by the user in transmissionterminal device 11. If the user of receiver terminal device 12 possessesanother terminal device, it may be more convenient to transmit theelement data to that terminal device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the stated problems, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a terminal device for use in a document informationcommunication system where documents can be transmitted between terminaldevices without futile communication.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a terminal devicewhich can communicate document information in accordance with aoperational state of a user's terminal device.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a relay devicewhich can prevent the occurrence of futile communication and whichenables the construction of each terminal to be simplified.

The aforementioned primary object can be achieved by a terminal deviceto be used in a system where sets of transmission document informationare transferred via a network between terminal devices which are groupedtogether in a plurality of different groups, the terminal devicecomprising: a document information storage unit for storing documentinformation which is made up of a plurality of document elements whichare to be transmitted; a terminal device arrangement information storageunit for storing terminal device arrangement information made up of eachgroup name, a types of each terminal device provided at each group andan address of each terminal device; a terminal device capabilityinformation control unit for controlling terminal device capabilityinformation which shows what kinds of document information can beoutputted by each type of terminal device; a transmission documentinformation creation unit for selecting terminal devices based on thegroup name of a group to be transmitted to and the terminal devicearrangement information and for creating sets of the transmissiondocument information from the document information to be transmitted inaccordance with the terminal device capability information; and atransmission unit for transmitting the created sets of transmissiondocument information to the selected terminal devices.

By means of the stated construction, since each set of transmissiondocument information transmitted by the transmission unit is created bythe transmission document information creation unit in accordance withthe type of transmission destination terminal device, which is to saythe transmission document information creation unit only createsoutputable sets of transmission document information, the transmissiondestination terminal device is able to output all of the receivedinformation with no futile reception of non-outputable data.

Here, the transmission document information creation unit may include atransmission destination terminal device selection unit for selecting aterminal device whose group name in the terminal device arrangementinformation coincides with the group name to be transmitted to as atransmission destination terminal device, wherein the transmissiondestination group name may be included in the document information as atransmission address.

Here, the document information storage unit may include a mediaattribute storage unit for storing, for each document element, a mediaattribute of a set of element data which is a content of a documentelement, the terminal device capability information control unit mayinclude an outputable media attribute storage unit for storing eachmedia attribute which can be outputted by each type of terminal device,and the transmission document information creation unit may furtherinclude an element data write unit for writing element data which has amedia attribute which matches an outputable media attribute for thetransmission destination terminal device selected by the transmissiondestination terminal device selection unit into the present set oftransmission document information.

Here, the transmission document information creation unit may create aset of transmission document information for each transmissiondestination terminal device.

By means of the stated construction, even when document informationwhich is made up of a plurality of document elements is expressed usingdifferent media elements, the transmission document creation unitcreates each set of transmission document information from only thedocument information which is expressed using a media attribute whichcan be outputted by a terminal in question, so that the destinationterminal device will definitely be able to output the entire set oftransmission document information.

Here, the document information storage unit may include a mediaattribute storage unit for storing, for each document element, a mediaattribute of a set of element data which is a content of a documentelement, the terminal device capability information control unit mayinclude an outputable media attribute obtaining unit for obtaining anoutputable media attribute for a transmission destination terminaldevice selected by the transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit from the transmission destination terminal device, andthe transmission document information creation unit may further includean element data write unit for writing element data which has a mediaattribute which matches an outputable media attribute for a terminaldevice which is obtained from the outputable media attribute storageunit into the present set of transmission document information.

Here, the outputable media attribute obtaining unit includes: a mediaattribute inquiry unit for sending an inquiry to the transmissiondestination terminal device asking for an outputable media attribute; amedia attribute reception unit for receiving a response containing amedia attribute from the transmission destination terminal device; anown media attribute storage unit for storing a media attribute ofelement data which is outputable for a present terminal device; and amedia attribute response unit for transmitting, on receiving an inquiryfor an outputable media attribute from a terminal device, the mediaattribute stored by the own media attribute storage unit to the terminaldevice which sent the inquiry.

By means of the stated construction, even if the transmission sourceterminal device is unaware of what media attributes of documentinformation can be outputted by a transmission destination terminaldevice, it can still obtain such media attributes by making an inquiryto the transmission destination terminal device, so that in the same wayas above, the destination terminal device will definitely be able tooutput the entire set of transmission document information.

Here, the terminal device may further comprise a media attributeconversion information storage unit for storing media attributeconversion information which shows how element data is convertiblebetween different media attributes, the transmission documentinformation creation unit may further include a conversion determinationunit for determining whether there is any element data which cannot bewritten into a present set of transmission document information by theelement data write unit and a conversion indication unit for indicating,when the conversion determination unit has determined that element datawhich cannot be written is present, a conversion of a media attribute ofthe unwritable element data to a media attribute which matches the mediaattribute of the selected transmission destination terminal device, inaccordance with the media attribute conversion information, and theterminal device may further comprise a media attribute conversion unitfor converting element data of a media attribute into element data ofanother media attribute in accordance with an indication received fromthe conversion indication unit, wherein the element data write unit maywrite the converted element data into the present set of transmissiondocument information.

By means of the stated construction, if document elements which areexpressed by a media attribute which cannot be outputted by thetransmission destination terminal device are included in a set ofdocument information, the media attribute of these document elements canbe converted to a media attribute which can be outputted by thetransmission destination terminal device.

Here, the document information storage unit may include an element datasize storage unit for storing a size of each set of element data in eachdocument element, the terminal device capability information controlunit may include a terminal device receivable amount storage unit forstoring an amount of element data which can be received by each type ofterminal device, and the transmission document information creation unitmay include an element data write unit for writing element data which iswithin the amount of element data which can be received by thetransmission destination terminal device selected by the transmissiondestination terminal device selection unit into the transmissiondocument information.

By means of the stated construction, only an amount of element datawhich is within the receivable amount of data for the transmissiondestination terminal device is written into each set of transmissiondocument information so that futile communication is not performed.

Here, the document information storage unit may include an element datasize storage unit for storing a size of each set of element data in eachdocument element, the terminal device capability information controlunit may include a terminal device receivable amount obtaining unit forobtaining a receivable amount of element data for a transmissiondestination terminal device selected by the transmission destinationterminal device selection unit from the corresponding transmissiondestination terminal device, and the transmission document informationcreation unit may further include an element data write unit for writingan amount of element data which is within the receivable amount of thetransmission destination terminal device which is received from theterminal device receivable amount obtaining unit into the present set oftransmission document information.

Here, the terminal device receivable amount obtaining unit may include:an amount inquiry unit for sending an inquiry to the transmissiondestination terminal device asking for an receivable amount of elementdata; a reception amount reception unit for receiving a responsecontaining the reception amount from the transmission destinationterminal device; an own capacity storage unit for storing a receivablecapacity of element data for a present terminal device; and a receptionamount response unit for transmitting, on receiving an inquiry for areceivable amount from a terminal device, the receivable amount which iscalculated by subtracting a reception amount of currently in use fromthe receivable capacity stored by the own capacity storage unit to theterminal device which sent the inquiry.

By means of the stated construction, the transmitter terminal device caninquire as to the receivable data amount of the transmission destinationterminal device and so learn of the receivable data amount whichdynamically corresponds to the state of the transmission destinationterminal device. Accordingly, futile communication can be avoided.

Here, the document information storage unit may include: a mediaattribute storage unit for storing, for each document element, a mediaattribute of a set of element data which is a content of a documentelement; and an element data size storage unit for storing, for eachdocument element, a size of the set of element data which is the contentof the document element, the terminal device capability informationcontrol unit may include an outputable media attribute storage unit forstoring each media attribute which can be outputted by each type ofterminal device; and a terminal device capacity storage unit for storinga receivable capacity of element data for each type of terminal device,and the transmission document information creation unit may furtherinclude an element data determination unit for determining, if elementdata of a media attribute which corresponds to a media attribute whichis outputable for the transmission destination terminal devicedetermined by the transmission destination terminal device selectionunit were written in a present set of transmission document information,whether a size of a present set of transmission document informationwould be within the receivable capacity of the corresponding terminaldevice; and an element data write unit for writing, when the elementdata determination unit has determined that the size is within thereceivable capacity, the set of element data into the present set oftransmission document information.

By means of the stated construction, the transmission documentinformation creation unit creates transmission document information inaccordance with the media attributes which are outputable for thetransmission destination terminal device and the receivable data amountfor the transmission destination terminal device.

Here, the transmission document information creation unit may furtherinclude: an element data size calculation unit for calculating awritable amount of element data when the element data determination unithas determined that the size of the transmission document information isnot within the receivable capacity, wherein the writable amount ofelement data is calculated as the receivable capacity of thecorresponding terminal device which is written in the terminal devicecapacity storage unit minus a total amount of element data which hasalready been written in the set of transmission document information,and each terminal device may further comprise: a compression informationstorage unit for storing compression information which is made up of acompression method for element data and a compression rate forcompressing the element data; a compression possible determination unitfor determining whether element data which has been compressed inaccordance with the compression rate in the compression informationwould be within the writable amount calculated by the element data sizecalculation unit; an element data compression unit for compressing, whenthe compression possible determination unit has determined that theelement data would be within the rewritable amount, the element data toa size equal to the writable amount calculated by the element data sizecalculation unit using the compression method in the compressioninformation; and a compressed element data write unit for writing theelement data compressed by the element data compression unit into thepresent set of transmission document information.

By means of the stated construction, the transmission documentinformation can be compressed when its size exceeds the receivableamount of the transmission destination terminal device.

Here, the compression information storage unit may include a mediaattribute-classified compression information storage unit for storing acompression method and a compression rate for each media attribute inelement data, and the element data compression unit may include a mediaattribute compression unit for compressing element data in accordancewith the compression method stored in the media attribute-classifiedcompression information storage unit which corresponds to the mediaattribute.

By means of the stated construction, compression is performed inaccordance with the media attribute of element data.

Here, the document information storage unit may further include anelement data content storage unit for storing a title for each documentelement which expresses a content of a corresponding document element,wherein the compression information storage unit may include acontent-classified compression information storage unit for storingcompression information made up of a compression method and acompression rate for each title in element data, and the element datacompression unit may include a content compression unit for compressingelement data using a compression method which corresponds to a title ofthe element data stored in the content-classified compressioninformation storage unit.

By means of the stated construction, compression is performed inaccordance with the content element data.

Here, the terminal device may further comprise: a first documentinformation reception unit for receiving, when a second set oftransmission document information is transmitted to another transmissionterminal at a same group as a present transmission destination terminaldevice, a first set of transmission document information which isappended with an address of the other terminal device; a first documentinformation storage unit for storing the first set of transmissiondocument information received by the first document informationreception unit; a transmission request unit for sending a request to atransmission terminal whose address is appended to the first set oftransmission document information asking for transmission of thereceived second set of transmission document information; a secondtransmission document information reception unit for receiving thesecond set of transmission document information which is sent from theother terminal device in accordance with the request from thetransmission request unit; and a document information unification unitfor unifying the first set of transmission document information and thesecond set of transmission document information into one set oftransmission document information.

Here, the terminal device may further comprise: a request reception unitfor receiving the request for the transmission of the second set oftransmission document information from the transmission request unit;and a second transmission document information transmission unit fortransmitting the received second set of transmission documentinformation in accordance with the received request to the terminaldevice which issued the request.

By means of the stated construction, the sets of transmission documentinformation are combined within a same group to give the originaldocument, so that the user can receive the document information in itsentirety.

Here, the document information storage unit may include: an element datasize storage unit for storing a size of each set of element data in eachdocument element; and a document element priority level storage unit forstoring a priority level for each document element showing atransmission priority of each document element, the terminal devicecapability information control unit may include a terminal devicecapacity storage unit for storing a receivable capacity of element datawhich can be received by each type of terminal device, and thetransmission document information creation unit may include: an elementdata determination unit for determining, if element data of a highpriority document element were written in a present set of transmissiondocument information, whether a data amount of the present set oftransmission document information would be within the receivablecapacity of element data for the transmission destination terminaldevice; and an element data write unit for writing the element data intothe transmission document information when the element datadetermination unit has determined that the data amount is within thereceivable capacity of element data.

By means of the stated construction, when a proposed set of transmissiondocument element data would exceed the reception capacity of thetransmission destination terminal device, element data with a highpriority level is given priority when deciding the element data to beincluded in the set of transmission document information.

The document information storage unit may include a media attributestorage unit for storing, for each document element, a media attributeof a set of element data which is a content of a document element,wherein the terminal device arrangement information storage unit mayinclude a terminal device priority level storage unit for storing apriority level for each terminal device which shows a priority levelwith which each terminal device receives document elements, wherein theterminal device capability information control unit includes anoutputable media attribute storage unit for storing each media attributewhich can be outputted by each type of terminal device, wherein thetransmission document information transmission unit includes: aprioritized terminal device specifying unit for specifying a terminaldevice with a high priority level out of the terminal devices selectedby the transmission destination terminal device selection unit; a firstelement data write unit for writing element data which has a mediaattribute which matches a media attribute which is outputable for theterminal device selected by the prioritized terminal device specifyingunit into a present set transmission document information; a prioritizedterminal device respecifying unit for specifying a terminal device witha lower priority level than the terminal device specified by theprioritized terminal device specifying unit when the first element datawrite unit has been unable to write all of the element data into thepresent set of transmission document information; and a second elementdata write unit for writing element data with a media attribute whichmatches a media attribute which is outputable for the terminal devicespecified by the prioritized terminal device respecifying unit into adifferent set of transmission document information.

By means of the stated construction, transmission document informationis sent transmitted with priority being given to a terminal device withhigh priority out of the prospective transmission destination terminaldevices.

Here, the terminal device of claim 2 may further comprise: acommunication state obtaining unit for obtaining a communication stateof the terminal device selected by the transmission destination terminaldevice selection unit, wherein the document information storage unitincludes a media attribute storage unit for storing, for each documentelement, a media attribute of a set of element data which is a contentof a document element, wherein the terminal device capabilityinformation control unit includes outputable media attribute storageunit for storing each media attribute which can be outputted by eachtype of terminal device, and wherein the transmission documentinformation creation unit further includes an element data write unitfor writing element data which has a media attribute which matches anoutputable media attribute for a terminal device whose communicationstate obtained by the communication state obtaining unit is thatcommunication is possible.

Here, the communication state obtaining unit may include: ancommunication state inquiry unit for sending an inquiry to the terminaldevice selected by the transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit asking whether communication is possible; a communicationstate inquiry reception unit for receiving a response from anotherterminal device sent in accordance with the inquiry from thecommunication state inquiry unit; a communication state inquiry responseunit for sending a response showing that communication is possible afterreceiving an inquiry about communication state from another terminaldevice; a communication state determination unit for determining that acommunication state of a terminal device is that communication ispossible after the communication state inquiry reception unit hasreceiving a response from the terminal device and for determining that acommunication state of a terminal device is that communication is notpossible when there has been no response to the inquiry sent bycommunication state inquiry unit within a predetermined period.

By means of the stated construction, another terminal device can betransmitted to when a presently-selected transmission destinationterminal device is unable to perform communication.

Here, the terminal device may further comprise: a document elementtransmission address information storage unit for storing documentelement transmission address information made up of each documentelement in sets of transmission document information created by thetransmission document information creation unit and a list of addressesof terminal devices which are transmission addresses for each documentelement; and a transmission destination terminal device addressextraction unit for extracting an address of a terminal device which isa transmission address of a document element which is included indocument element transmission address information but not included in apresent set of transmission document information, wherein thetransmission document information creation unit may include an appendingunit for appending the present set of transmission document informationwith the address extracted by the transmission destination terminaldevice address extraction unit.

Here, the appending unit may convert the extracted address to a samemedia attribute as written in the present set of transmission documentinformation by the element data write unit before appending.

By means of the stated construction, when the document information isdivided and transmitted to a plurality of terminal devices, thelocations of the other transmission document terminal devices areclearly stated, so that the user can receive all of the sets oftransmission document information without losing track of any.

Here, the terminal device of claim 1, further comprising group stateinquiry address information storage unit for storing an address of oneterminal device in each group which receives an inquiry about whether totransmit a set of transmission document information to any prioritizedterminal device provided in a group, wherein the transmission documentinformation creation unit further includes a group state inquiry unitfor sending an inquiry to a terminal device having an address which isin a group name to be transmitted to and which is stored by the groupstate inquiry address information storage unit, wherein the group nameis included in document information as a transmission address, whereinthe terminal device further comprises first group state inquiryreception unit for receiving a group state from a terminal device towhich an inquiry was sent, in reply to the inquiry from the group stateinquiry unit, wherein the terminal device arrangement informationstorage unit includes a group state corresponding priority level storageunit for storing a priority level of each terminal device in accordancewith a group state, wherein the document information storage unitincludes a media attribute storage unit for storing, for each documentelement, a media attribute of a set of element data which is a contentof a document element, wherein the terminal device capabilityinformation control unit may include an outputable media attributestorage unit for storing each media attribute which can be outputted byeach type of terminal device, and the transmission document informationcreation unit may further include an element data write unit for writingelement data which has a media attribute which matches a media attributefor a terminal device whose priority level is high in accordance withthe group state received by the first group state inquiry reception unitinto the present set of transmission document information.

Here, the terminal device specified by the address stored by the groupstate inquiry address information storage unit may further comprise: asecond group state inquiry reception unit for receiving an inquiry aboutgroup state from another terminal device; and a group state inquiryresponse unit for sending a response to the other terminal device abouta group state set in accordance with the inquiry received by the groupstate inquiry response unit.

By means of the stated construction, sets of transmission documentinformation which specify a transmission destination terminal device inaccordance with priority levels which correspond to the group state aretransmitted, so that these can correspond to the operational state of auser's terminal devices.

The third object of the present invention can be achieved by a relayingdevice provided in a system where sets of transmission documentinformation are transferred via a network between terminal devicesprovided in a plurality of different groups, the relaying devicecomprising: a reception unit for receiving a transmission of documentinformation made up of a plurality of document elements from any of theterminal devices, wherein the document information includes a group nameas a transmission address; a document information storage unit forstoring document information which is received by the reception unit; aterminal device arrangement information storage unit for storingterminal information arrangement information made up of each group name,a type of each terminal device provided at each group and an address ofeach terminal device; a terminal device capability information controlunit for controlling terminal device capability information which showswhat kinds of document information can be outputted by each type ofterminal device; a transmission document information creation unit forselecting terminal devices provided in a group whose group name in theterminal device arrangement information matches the group name in thedocument information as transmission destination terminal devices andfor creating sets of the transmission document information from documentinformation to be transmitted in accordance with the terminal devicecapability information; and a transmission unit for transmitting thecreated sets of transmission document information to the selectedterminal devices.

By means of the stated construction, the construction of each terminaldevice can be simplified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings which illustrate a specific embodiment of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the construction of terminal devices in a conventionaldocument information communication system;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a document to be transmitted by aconventional terminal device;

FIG. 3 shows the document data for the document shown in FIG. 2 which isstored in the document information storage unit of the conventionaltransmitter terminal device;

FIG. 4 shows the document outputted by a conventional receiver terminaldevice;

FIG. 5 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the firstembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a document sent by a transmitter terminaldevice;

FIG. 7 shows an example of a document information control table for thedocument shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored in theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 9 shows the outputable media attribute information stored in theoutputable media attribute information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 10 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 11 also shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 12 shows the document which is display outputted by the terminaldevice which received the element data in the transmission documentcontrol table shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 shows the document which is display outputted the terminaldevice which received the element data in the transmission documentcontrol table shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 15 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the secondembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 16 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the thirdembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 17 shows the document information control table stored by thedocument information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 18 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored in theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 19 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 20 shows the media attribute conversion information stored in mediaattribute conversion information storage unit;

FIG. 21 shows the transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment;

FIG. 23 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the fourthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 24 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 25 shows the receivable capacity information stored in thereceivable capacity information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 26 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 27 also shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 29 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the fifthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 30 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the sixthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 31 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 32 shows the terminal device capability information stored by theterminal device capability information of the terminal device;

FIG. 33 shows the media attribute group compression information storedby the media attribute group compression information storage unit of theterminal device;

FIG. 34 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document temporary storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 35 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document temporary storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 37 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the seventhembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 38 shows a transmission document control table stored by thedocument information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 39 shows the element content group compression information storedby the element content group compression information storage unit of theterminal device;

FIG. 40 shows an example of the proper noun dictionary stored by theelement content group compression information storage unit of theterminal device;

FIG. 41 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 42 also shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 43 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the eighthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 44 shows a transmission document control table stored by thedocument information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 45 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 46 shows the terminal device capability information stored by theterminal device capability information of the terminal device;

FIG. 47 shows a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 48 is a flowchart showing the operation of the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 49 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the ninthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 50 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 51 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 52 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the tenthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 53 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 54 shows the outputable media attribute information stored by theoutputable media attribute information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 55 is a flowchart showing the operation of the tenth embodiment;

FIG. 56 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the eleventhembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 57 shows the terminal device arrangement information stored by theterminal device arrangement information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 58 shows the group state inquiry address information stored by thegroup state inquiry address information storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 59 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the twelfthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 60 shows the document element transmission destination informationstored in the document element transmission destination information ofthe terminal device;

FIG. 61 is a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 62 is a transmission document control table stored by thetransmission document information temporary storage unit of the terminaldevice;

FIG. 63 is a flowchart showing the operation of the twelfth embodiment;

FIG. 64 shows the construction of the terminal device in a documentinformation communication information system to which the thirteenthembodiment of the present invention relates;

FIG. 65 is a figure showing the document information stored by the firstdocument information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 66 is a figure showing the document information stored by thesecond document information storage unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 67 shows the document information unified by the documentinformation unification unit of the terminal device;

FIG. 68 is a flowchart showing the operation of the twelfth embodiment;and

FIG. 69 is a figure showing the document information stored by the firstdocument information storage unit of the terminal device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 5 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

The document information communication system comprises a plurality ofterminal devices 501, 502, 503 . . . 510 and network 511 which connectseach of the terminal devices.

Each terminal device comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515, outputable media attributeinformation storage unit 516, transmission document information creationunit 517, transmission document information temporary storage unit 518and transmission unit 519.

Terminal devices 501 and 502 belong to group 520. Terminal device 503belongs to group 521. Terminal devices 504, 505 and 506 belong to group522. Terminals devices 507 and 508 belong to group 523. Terminal devices509 and 510 belong to group 524.

Each group is made up of terminal devices which are used by a same user.

Input operation unit 512 consists of a keyboard, a mouse, a scanner andthe like. Input unit 512 receives input of document 601 to betransmitted as shown in FIG. 6. Document 601 comprises document elements602, 603, 604, 605 and 606 which have "characters" as their mediaattributes and document element 607 which has "monochrome still picture"as its media attribute. Input operation unit 512 receives input ofdocument 601 and transfers the content of document 601 to input controlunit 513. Input operation unit 512 receives the user's indication of aname of a group including a transmission destination terminal andtransfers the group name to input control unit 513.

On receiving the content of document 601 from input operation unit 512,input control unit 513 stores document 601 in document informationstorage unit 514 as document information control table 701 in FIG. 7.Document information control table 701 comprises a list of element data702 showing the content of the document elements, element data size 703and media attribute 704.

Here, input control unit 513 decides the media attributes as follows. Asexamples, when the user's input operations in input operation unit 512are keyboard operations, the media attribute is "character"; when theyare scanner operations, the media attribute is "monochrome stillpicture", when they are hand-writing operations using a tablet, themedia attribute is "ink". Input operation unit 513 calculates thecapacity of the element data to obtain element data size when the userdesignates one document element by pressing Enter.

Input control unit 513 receives the name of the transmission destinationgroup, writes it in group name column 705 in document informationcontrol table 701 and activates transmission document informationcreation unit 517.

Document information storage unit 514 consists of erasable memory andstores document information control table 701 in FIG. 7. When documentinformation control table 701 is stored by input control unit 513, noflags are set in flag column 706 beside element data 702. Flags are setwhen transmission document data is created from each element data 702 bytransmission document information creation unit 517.

For example, "A" is written in group name column 705 in documentinformation control table 701, "A" being the group name indicated by theuser in input operation unit 512. In the first row 707, element data"Notice of a Meeting", an element data size "19" and a media attribute"character" of document element 602 of document 601 are stored.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 consists oferasable memory and stores terminal device arrangement information 801in FIG. 8 beforehand.

Terminal device arrangement information 801 comprises group name column802, address column 803 of the terminal device belonging to the group ingroup name column 802, type column 804 showing the type of the terminaldevice and flag column 805. Flags are set in flag column 805 bytransmission document information creation unit 517 which will beexplained later.

In FIG. 8, group 524 in FIG. 5 is shown as "A". The address of terminaldevice 509 is "A@.abc.def.jp" and it is a "character e-mail terminal".The address of terminal device 510 is "06-123-4567" and it is "FAX".

The content of terminal device arrangement information 801 can beupdated when one or more of the terminal devices in the documentinformation communication system changes.

Outputable media attribute information storage unit 516 has storedoutputable media attribute information 901 in FIG. 9 beforehand asterminal device capability information. Outputable media attributeinformation 901 comprises type column 902 showing the type of theterminal device and media attribute column 903 showing the mediaattribute to be outputted by the terminal device.

Outputable media attribute information 901 in FIG. 9 shows that when theterminal device is a facsimile, element data having "monochrome stillpicture" as its media attribute can be outputted; when it is atelephone, element data having "audio" as its media attribute can beoutputted; and when it is a character e-mail terminal, element datahaving "character data" as its media attribute can be outputted.

Transmission document information creation unit 517 is activated byinput control unit 513 and does the following: reads the group namestored in group name column 705 in document information control table701 stored in document information storage unit 514; finds the samegroup name in group name column 802 in terminal arrangement information801 stored in terminal arrangement information storage unit 515; readsthe type of a terminal device and its address; sets a flag for theterminal device in flag column 805; creates a transmission documentcontrol table having that terminal device as transmission destinationterminal device in transmission document information temporary storageunit 518, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11; and writes the type of theterminal device and its address in transmission destination terminalcolumn 1002 in transmission document control table 1001. For example, inthe case of document information control table 701 in FIG. 7, "A" is thegroup name of the transmission destination group, so that "charactere-mail" of the terminal device belonging to "A" in terminal devicearrangement information 801 and its address "A@abc.def.jp" are writtenin transmission destination terminal column 1002.

Next, transmission document information creation unit 517 reads theoutputable media attribute of the type of the transmission destinationterminal device of outputable media attribute information 901 stored inoutputable media attribute information storage unit 516 and writes it inmedia attribute column 1003 in transmission document control table 1001.In the above example, the media attribute is "character". Transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 reads the element data and sizeof the media attribute of "character" in document information controltable 701 stored in document information storage unit 514, writes themin element data column 1004 and element data size column 1005 intransmission document control table 1001 for each document element andsets a flag for each of them in flag column 706. When there is noelement data which corresponds to the media attribute in documentinformation control table 701, document information creation unit 517completes the creation of transmission document control table 1001.

Next, document information creation unit 517 reads the type and addressof the terminal device which has not been flagged in flag column 805,the terminal device corresponding to the name of the transmissiondestination group in terminal device arrangement information 801 interminal device arrangement information storage unit 515, and creates anew transmission document control table as shown in FIG. 11. Terminaldevice arrangement information storage unit 515 sets a flag in flagcolumn 805 for the terminal device and creates transmission documentcontrol table 1101. In this transmission document control unit 1101, thetype of the transmission destination terminal device is "FAX" and itsoutputable media attribute is "monochrome still picture". Theycorrespond to the media attribute of the element data 708 on the sixthrow in document information control table 701. Therefore, transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 writes the element data and itssize in element data column 1102 and size column 1103 in transmissiondocument control table 1101. In transmission destination terminal column1104, "FAX" and "06-123-4567" are stored.

Transmission document information creation unit 517 checks whether eachentry of the flag column of the element data in document informationcontrol table 701 is flagged. If so, this means that there are someremaining element data to be transmitted. Therefore, transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 searches for a transmissiondestination terminal device which is not flagged in terminal devicearrangement information 801. When flags are set for all of the availabletypes of terminal device or for all of the element data in documentinformation control table 701, transmission document informationcreation unit 517 activates transmission unit 519 as the creation of thetransmission document has already been completed.

Transmission document information temporary storage unit 518 consists ofa buffer and is made to store transmission document control tables 1001and 1101 in FIGS. 10 and 11, respectively, by transmission documentinformation creation unit 517.

Transmission destination terminal device columns 1102 and 1104 intransmission document control tables 1001 and 1101, respectively, storethe type of the transmission destination terminal device and itsaddress. The element data to be transmitted has media attribute whichcan be outputted by the designated terminal device.

On being activated by transmission document information creation unit517, transmission unit 519 reads the transmission document control tablestored in transmission document information temporary storage unit 518for each transmission destination terminal device and transmits theelement data to the transmission destination terminal.

For example, according to transmission document control table 1001 shownin FIG. 10, transmission unit 519 transmits the element data having"character" as its media attribute stored in element data column 1004 intransmission document control table 1001 to terminal device 509 which isa character e-mail terminal in group 524 having the group name "A".After that, transmission unit 519 transmits the element data having"monochrome still picture" as its media attribute stored in element datacolumn 1102 in FIG. 11 to terminal device 510 which is "FAX" in group524 via network 511.

Here, if the transmission destination terminal device is registered inthe transmission document control table, no transmission will occur ifelement data is not present in the table.

A reception unit (not illustrated) of terminal device 509 receiveselement data transmitted from terminal device 501 of group 502 and itsoutput unit (not illustrated) decodes all the element data received bythe reception unit as shown in FIG. 12 and outputs it for display.Likewise, an output unit (not illustrated) of terminal device 510outputs all the element data received by its reception unit (notillustrated) for display.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 14.

The user inputs a document into input operation unit 512, and indicatesthe transmission destination terminal (Step 1402).

Transmission document information creation unit 517 finds the same groupas the transmission destination group in document information controltable 701 from terminal device arrangement information 801 anddetermines if all terminal devices in the group are flagged (Step 1404).If so, transmission document information creation unit 517 advances toStep 1414. If not, transmission document information creation unit 517reads one terminal device which is not flagged and sets its flag (Step1406). According to the type of the terminal device, transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 obtains the media attribute whichcan be outputted by the terminal device, referring to outputable mediaattribute information 901 (Step 1408).

Transmission document information creation unit 517 creates transmissiondocument control table 1001 having the terminal as the transmissiondestination terminal, writes all element data of the document elementhaving the media attribute which can be outputted by the terminal devicefrom document element in document information control table 701 and setsflags for the transcribed element data in flag column 706 in documentinformation control table 701 (Step 1410). Transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 determines if all element data is flaggedin document information control table 701 (Step 1412), returning to Step1404 if this is the case, or otherwise instructing transmission unit 519to transmit the element data (Step 1414).

Transmission unit 519 receives the instruction of transmission,successively reads transmission document control tables 1001 and 1101stored in transmission document information temporary storage unit 518,and transmits the element data to each transmission destination terminaldevice (Step 1416).

When each terminal device receives transmission of the element data,they decode all the element data, output them for display and completesthe processing.

(Second Embodiment)

FIG. 15 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

Terminal device 1501 comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515, media attribute informationstorage unit 1502, inquiry reception unit 1503, inquiry response unit1504, transmission unit 1505, transmission document information creationunit 1506 and transmission document information temporary storage unit518. Terminal device 1501 differs from terminal device 501 of the firstembodiment in that it comprises media attribute information storage unit1502, inquiry reception unit 1502 and inquiry response unit 1504 insteadof outputable media attribute information storage unit 516. Therefore,the functions of the transmission unit 1505 and transmission documentinformation creation unit 1506 are a little different. The otherelements are the same and have been given the same reference numbers.Accordingly, the following explanation will focus on only thedifferences with the first embodiment.

Media attribute information storage unit 1502 stores media attributeswhich can be decoded and outputted when terminal device 1501 receivesthe element data. For example, media attribute information storage unit1502 stores that "character" and "monochrome still picture" can beoutputted at the same time.

Inquiry reception unit 1503 receives an inquiry from one of the otherterminal devices, the inquiry asking what element data can be outputtedby terminal device 1501 via network 511, and transfers the address ofthat terminal device to response unit 1504.

Inquiry reception unit 1503 receives the address and media attribute ofthe terminal device and transfers them to transmission document creationunit 1506.

On receiving the address and media attribute of the terminal device fromthe inquiry reception unit 1503, inquiry response unit 1504 reads"character" and "monochrome still picture" stored in media attributeinformation storage unit 1502, and transfers them to transmission unit1505.

Transmission unit 1505 transmits its own address and media attribute tothe terminal device via network 511, the terminal device having theaddress transferred from inquiry response unit 1504.

On receiving a notification from transmission document informationcreation unit 1506 that it wants to acquire the address and mediaattribute, transmission unit 1505 transmits its own address in response,and also transmits an inquiry asking for the outputable media attributeof the appropriate terminal device.

In creating the transmission document control table in transmissiondocument information temporary storage unit 518, transmission documentinformation creation unit 1506 first writes the type of terminal deviceand its address in the transmission destination terminal device column,and then, in order to know element data of what media attribute can beoutputted from the terminal device of that address, informs the transmitunit 1505 of the address and media attribute it wishes to know, unlikein the first embodiment where the outputable media attribute informationwas read. In the present embodiment, transmission document informationcreation unit 1506 transfers its desired address and media attribute totransmission unit 1505. Transmission document information creation unit1506 receives address and media attribute of one of the other terminaldevices and writes them in media attribute column in the transmissiondocument control table., Other functions are the same as transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 of the first embodiment.

The operations of the present embodiment are almost the same as thefirst embodiment. The following explanation will focus on only thedifferent points.

Instead of Step 1408 in FIG. 14, transmission document informationcreation unit 1506 notifies transmission unit 1505 that it wants toacquire the address and outputable media attribute of the appropriateterminal device. Terminal unit 1505 transmits that notification to theterminal device via network 511. The inquiry reception unit of theterminal device receives that notification and transmits it to theinquiry response unit. The inquiry response unit reads the mediaattribute from the media attribute information storage unit of theterminal device and its transmission unit transmits the media attributeto inquiry reception unit 1503 of terminal device 1501. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 1506 obtains the outputable mediaattribute of the transmitter terminal device received by inquiryreception unit 1503.

As mentioned above, each terminal device of the present embodimenttransmits the media attribute of the element data which it can output inresponse to an inquiry from one of the other terminal devices.Therefore, it is not necessary for each terminal device to store theoutputable media attribute of other terminal devices (outputable mediaattribute information) in the document information communication system.This is to say, if one or more of the terminal devices and itsoutputable media attribute are changed in each group, it is notnecessary to change the outputable media attribute information in allterminal devices in the document information communication system.

According to the first and the second embodiments, it is possible todevice a document consisting of a variety of media attributes andtransmit them to terminal devices which are capable of outputting eachmedia attribute. Therefore, futile communication and wasteful use ofmemory do not occur. As mentioned above, even though one receiverterminal device is not capable of outputting all the media attributesincluded in the document, it is possible to divide and transmit thedocument to a plurality of terminal devices which belong to the samegroup. Therefore, all contents of the document can be transmitted to theuser.

In the above embodiment, an example where the document was divided intotwo and transmitted to two terminal devices in a receiver group wasgiven. The number of the receiver terminal devices can be only one, orit can be three or more. In the above embodiment, the media attributewas only "character" and "monochrome still picture". But other mediaattributes, such as "audio", "color still picture", "motion picture","ink" and "script" can also be included. In the present embodiment,transmission document information creation unit 517 instructstransmission unit 519 to transmit the content of transmission documentcontrol table 1001 after creating a plurality of transmission documentcontrol tables 1001. However, transmission document information creationunit 517 may instruct transmission unit 519 to transmit it every time itcreates one transmission document control table 1001. In the aboveembodiment, all the media attributes of the document elements of thedocument can be outputted by any of the terminal devices belonging tothe same group. It may be possible that media attributes which cannot beoutputted by any of the transmission destination terminal devices areincluded. In such a case, transmission of the futile element data doesnot occur.

(Third Embodiment)

FIG. 16 shows construction of the third embodiment of each terminaldevice in the document information communication system of the presentinvention. Terminal device 1601 comprises input operation unit 512,input control unit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminaldevice arrangement information storage unit 515, outputable mediaattribute information storage unit 516, media attribute conversioninformation storage unit 1602, transmission document informationcreation unit 1603, media attribute conversion unit 1604, transmissiondocument information temporary storage unit 518 and transmission unit519.

Terminal device 1601 differs from terminal device 501 of the firstembodiment in that it comprises media attribute conversion informationstorage unit 1602 and media attribute conversion unit 1604. The otherelements have been given the same reference numbers and the followingexplanation will focus on only the differences.

FIG. 17 shows document information control table 1701 stored in documentinformation storage unit 514. The difference with the first embodimentis document information control table 701 and "C" in group name column705. Group "C" can, for example, be group 523 having terminal device 507and 508. According to "C" 1802 in terminal device arrangementinformation 1801 in FIG. 18, terminal device 507 is "telephone" whoseaddress is "03-9876-5432" and terminal device 508 is "FAX" whose addressis "03-9876-5678". Outputable media attribute information 901 shows thatterminal 507 has "audio" as its outputable media attribute and terminaldevice 508 has "monochrome still picture" as its outputable mediaattribute. By the same processing as the first embodiment, transmissiondocument control table 1901 in FIG. 19 is created.

Media attribute conversion information storage unit 1602 has storedmedia attribute conversion information 2001 as shown in FIG. 20beforehand. Media attribute conversion information 2001 shows relationsbetween outputable media attributes. For example, it shows that mediaattribute "character" stored in media attribute column 2002 can beconverted to "audio" or "monochrome still picture" stored in convertiblemedia attribute column 2003 without changing the content of the elementdata in element data column 702 in document information control table1701. At the same time, media attribute conversion information 2001shows that "audio" can be converted to "character".

Transmission document information creation unit 1603 comprises thefollowing functions in addition to transmission document informationcreation unit 517 of the first embodiment.

When flags are not set for all of the document elements in documentinformation control table 1701 and all transmission destination terminaldevices are flagged in terminal device arrangement information 1801, inother words, when some of the element data in document informationcontrol table 1701 have not been transcribed into the transmissiondocument control table, transmission document information creation unit1603 resets all the flags in flag column 805 in terminal devicearrangement information 1801, reads one terminal device belonging to thetransmission destination group in terminal device arrangementinformation 801, and sets its flag in flag column 805. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 1603 refers to outputable mediaattribute information 901 and obtains the outputable media attribute.

In document information control table 1701 shown in FIG. 17, elementdata 1702-1706 having "character" as their media attribute are notflagged. The outputable media attribute of terminal 507 in transmissiondestination group 523 "C" is "audio". It is possible to convert elementdata having "character" as its attribute to element data having "audio"as its media attribute, which is shown by media attribute conversioninformation 2001. Transmission document information creation unit 1603successively reads out element data 1702 "Notice of a Meeting" toelement data 1706 "Please make sure to come." and instructs mediaattribute conversion unit 1604 to convert the media attribute from"character" to "audio".

Document information control table 1701 receives the indication of theconverted element data from media attribute conversion unit 1604, setsflags in flag column 706 in document information control table 1701stored in document information storage unit 514, transcribes thetransferred element data, its media attribute and the transmissiondocument control table 2101 in transmission document informationtemporary storage unit 518, as shown in FIG. 21.

Media attribute conversion unit 1604 receives the media attribute andelement data which should be converted from transmission documentinformation creation unit 1603, converts the element data to thetransferred media attribute and transfers the converted element data totransmission document creation unit 1603.

Media attribute conversion unit 1604 stores an algorithm and the likefor converting "character" to "audio". Such algorithms are well-known.Converting the media attribute from "character" to "audio" is mentionedin "Bit" (Kyoritsu Shuppan, pages 11-20, March Issue, 1995). On theother hand, "character" to "monochrome still picture" is carried out bycreating bit map data by developing fonts corresponding to charactercodes. Converting "audio" to "character" is disclosed in "Nikkei Byte"(Nikkei BP Co. pages 212-219, June Issue, 1992).

Transmission document information temporary storage unit 518 temporarilystores table 2101 whose transmission destination terminal device,terminal device 507 ("telephone"), has had its media attribute convertedalong with transmission document control table 1901 having terminaldevice 508 as transmission destination terminal device.

As element data 2102 to 2106 in transmission document control table 2101have "audio" as their media attributes, their data sizes are differentfrom those in document information control table 1701.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 22. No explanation of Steps 2202 to 2212is given here because the operations are the same as Steps 1402 to 1412of the first embodiment. The following explanation will only focus onthe differences.

If flags are set for all receiver terminal devices in Step 2204,transmission document information creation unit 1603 resets the flags inflag column 805 in terminal device arrangement information 1801 (Step2214), determines if flags, are set for all receiver terminal devices(Step 2216), advance, to Step 2230 when this is the case. If not, itreads one terminal device which is not flagged and sets its flag (Step2218), refers to the outputable media attribute information for the typeof the terminal device, and obtains the media attribute of that terminaldevice (Step 2220).

By referring to media attribute conversion information 2001,transmission test information creation unit 1603 finds element datawhich has not been flagged in document information control table 1701and which can be converted to the media attribute obtained in Step 2220,instructs media attribute conversion unit 1604 to convert the mediaattribute of the element data, and transfers the converted element datato transmission document information creation unit 1603 (Step 2224).

Transmission document information creation unit 1603 transcribes thetransferred element data in the transmission document control table andsets a flag in the document information control table for thecorresponding element data (Step 2226), determines whether flags are setfor all element data (Step 2228), advancing to Step 2230 and instructingtransmission unit 518 to transmit the element data (Step 2230) when thisis the case, or otherwise returning to Step 2216.

Transmission unit 518 transmits the element data to the terminal devicehaving the address in transmission document information control tables1901 and 2101 stored in transmission document information temporarystorage unit 518 (Step 2232).

According to the present embodiment, if the document to be transmittedincludes elements having media attributes which cannot be outputted byany of the receiver terminal devices, the document elements may beconverted to document elements having media attributes which can beoutputted by one of the terminal devices. In this way, the entiredocument can be transmitted.

According to the present embodiment, the outputable media attributestorage unit has stored the outputable media attribute of each type ofterminal device beforehand. However, the outputable media attributestorage unit may ask a transmission destination terminal device for itsoutputable media attribute, as disclosed in the second embodiment. Also,in the present embodiment, the case where the media attribute of"character" was converted to "audio" was explained, although otherconversions are possible.

(Fourth Embodiment)

FIG. 23 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

Terminal device comprises input operation unit 512, input control unit513, document information storage unit 514, terminal device arrangementinformation storage unit 515, receivable capacity information storageunit 2303, transmission document information creation unit 2303,transmission document information temporary storage unit 518 andtransmission unit 519. Terminal device 2301 is the same as terminaldevice 520 of the first embodiment except that terminal device 2301comprises receivable capacity information storage unit 2302 instead ofoutputable media attribute information storage unit 516. Therefore, thefunctions of transmission document information creation unit 2303 are alittle different from transmission document information creation unit517 of the first embodiment. The following explanation will focus ononly the differences.

In the case of transmitting document 601 in FIG. 6 to group 524 havinggroup name "A", document information storage unit 514 stores thedocument information control table 701 in FIG. 7.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 stores terminaldevice arrangement information 2401 in FIG. 24. "Graphic portableterminal" whose address is "06-123-4567" and "graphic e-mail terminal"whose address is "A@abc.def.jp" belong to "A" group.

Receivable capacity information storage unit 2303 consists of memory andhas stored receivable capacity information beforehand. Receivablecapacity information 2501 includes the capacity (size) of receivableelement data for each type of terminal device. For example, the graphicportable terminal can receive element data size up to "100". When itexceeds "100", the graphic portable terminal cannot output all of theelement data it received. In other words, "100" shows memory capacity ofthe reception unit (not illustrated) of the terminal device. The graphice-mail terminal can receive data size up to "5000".

On being activated by input control unit 513, transmission documentinformation creation unit 2303 reads the group name stored in group namecolumn 705 in document information control table 701 stored in documentinformation unit 514, finds the same group name in group name column2404 in terminal arrangement information 2401 stored in terminalarrangement information storage unit 515, reads the type and address ofone terminal device belonging to the group, sets its flag in flag column2403, creates the transmission document control table having thatterminal device as the transmission destination terminal device intransmission document information temporary storage unit 518, as shownin FIGS. 26 and 27, and writes the type and address of the terminaldevice in transmission destination terminal device column 2602. Forexample, in the case of document information control table 701 in FIG.7, as the transmission destination group name is "A", transmissiondocument information creation unit 517 writes "graphic portableterminal" and its address "06-123-4567" in transmission destinationterminal device column 2602.

Next, transmission document information creation unit 517 reads thecapacity (size) of the receivable element data of each transmissiondestination terminal device in receivable capacity information 2501stored in receivable capacity information storage unit 2303 and sets thecapacity (size) as C₀. In the above example, the data size of thegraphic portable terminal is "100". Transmission document informationcreation unit 517 reads the media attribute, element data and size ofthe document element which is not flagged in document informationcontrol table 701 stored in document information storage unit 514 anddetermines if total of their sizes and the size of the element dataalready written in transmission document control table 2601 is equal toor below C₀.

If this is the case, transmission document information creation unit 517writes them in media attribute column 2603, size column 2604 and elementdata column 2605, respectively in transmission document control table2601, sets its flag in flag column 706. When the total of the size ofthe element data which is not flagged in document information controltable 701 and size of the element data which is already written intransmission document control table 2601 is equal to or below C₀, thisprocessing is repeated. When there is not any element data which is notflagged or the value exceeds C₀, creation of transmission documentcontrol table 2601 is completed. Specifically, when the size of theelement data of the fifth row in document information control table 701is added, the value exceeds C₀.

When the value exceeds C₀, the transmission document informationcreation unit 517 reads the type and address of the terminal devicewhich is not flagged in flag column 805, the terminal devicecorresponding to the name of the transmission, destination group interminal device arrangement information 2401 in terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515. The transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 creates a new transmission documentcontrol table as shown in FIG. 27. At this time, transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 sets a flag in flag column 805 for theterminal device. In this way, transmission document control table 2701is created. In transmission destination terminal device column 2702 intransmission document control table 2701, "graphic e-mail terminal" and"A@abc.def.jp" are written. Transmission document information creationunit 517 reads size C₀ of the "graphic e-mail terminal" in receivablecapacity information 2501 stored in receivable capacity informationstorage unit 2303. The element data is not written in transmissiondocument control table 2701. Therefore, the size is "0". As the elementdata size "100" of the fifth row in document information control table701 is equal to or below size C₀, transmission document informationcreation unit 517 writes this element data in transmission documentcontrol table 2701 and sets its flag in flag column 705 in documentinformation control table 701. When the element data size "1000" of thesixth row in document information control table 701 is added, the valuebecomes "1100". As it is equal to or below "5000" of size C₀,transmission document information creation unit 517 sets a flag in flagcolumn 705 for this terminal device. In this way, transmission documentcontrol table 2701 is created.

Transmission document information creation unit 517 checks if flags areset for all of the element data in document information control table701. If this is not the case, there are some remaining element data tobe transmitted. Therefore, transmission document information creationunit 517 searches for the transmission destination terminal deviceswhich are not flagged. When flags are set for all of the element data indocument information control table 701, creation of the transmissiondocument control table is completed. Accordingly, transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 activates transmission unit 519.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 28. As Steps 2802-2806 and Steps2816-2820 are the same as Steps 1402-1406 and 1412-1416 of the firstembodiment, explanation is not given here. The following explanationwill focus on only the differences.

Transmission document information creation unit 2303 reads C₀ of thereceivable element data of the terminal device of Step 2806 inreceivable capacity information 2501 (Step 2808) and reads one documentelement which has not been flagged from document information controlunit 701 stored in document information storage unit 514 (Step 2810).Transmission document information creation unit 2303 determines if thetotal of the size of the element data and size of the element dataalready written in the transmission document control table is equal toor below C₀ (Step 2812). If this is the case, transmission documentinformation creation unit 2303 writes the element data, sets its flag(Step 2814) and returns to Step 2810. If this is not the case,transmission document information creation unit 2303 advances to Step2816.

As mentioned above, the present embodiment makes to possible to dividethe transmission document which includes a plurality of media attributesinto some documents, each having the size that can be received by thereceiver terminal devices in the transmission destination group.Therefore, if one receiver terminal device cannot receive the originaldocument due to the lack of its memory capacity, the document may betransmitted to another terminal devices. Eventually, the entire documentcan be received by the user.

(Fifth Embodiment)

FIG. 29 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention. Terminal device 2901 comprises receivable capacityinformation storage unit 2902 which stores capacity for receiving itsown element data instead of receivable capacity information storage unit2303 of terminal device 2301 of the fourth embodiment, inquiry receptionunit 1503, inquiry response unit 1504, transmission unit 1505 andtransmission document information creation unit 2903. Transmission unit1505 and transmission document information creation unit 2903 aresubject to inquiry reception unit 1503 and inquiry response unit 1504.Inquiry reception unit 1503, inquiry response unit 1504 and transmissionunit 1505 are the same as the second embodiment. Other constructionelements are the same as the first or the fourth embodiment. Thefollowing explanation will focus on only the differences.

Receivable capacity information storage unit 2902 has already stored thecapacity (size) of the element data transmitted from another terminaldevice, that is to say, memory capacity for storing data it received.

Inquiry response unit 1504 reads the receivable capacity stored inreceivable capacity information storage unit 2902 when inquiry receptionunit 1503 receives an inquiry for the receivable capacity of terminaldevice 2301 from another terminal, sets C₀ by subtracting thecurrently-used memory capacity from the entire receivable capacity andinstructs transmission unit 1505 to respond to the terminal device whichmade the inquiry. Transmission unit 1505 transmits the receivablecapacity information to the terminal device via network 511.

Transmission document information creation unit 2901 instructstransmission unit 1505 to ask the receivable capacity information of thetransmission destination terminal device by transferring its addresswhen the creation of the transmission document control table is startedby designating the transmission destination terminal device in theterminal device arrangement information stored in terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515.

Transmission document information creation unit 2901 receives thereceivable capacity information on one of the transmission destinationterminal devices from inquiry reception unit 1503 and determines whetherthe total of the size of the element data in the document informationcontrol table stored in document information storage unit 514 and sizeof the element data already written in the transmission document controltable is equal to or below the transferred receivable capacityinformation (C₀). If this is the case, transmission document informationcreation unit 2901 writes the element data in the transmission documentcontrol table. If that is not the case, transmission documentinformation creation unit 2901 reads a new transmission destinationterminal device in the terminal arrangement information and creates anew transmission document control table.

The operations of the present embodiment are almost the same as thefourth embodiment except for Step 2808, where size C₀ is obtained forreceivable element data based on the inquiry to the transmissiondestination terminal device.

As mentioned above, the present embodiment makes it possible to transmitthe document by dividing it into small sizes which can be received byeach receiver terminal device based on the inquiry of the size ofreceivable element data of each receiver terminal device in onetransmission destination group. It is also possible to dynamicallychange the transmission size depending on the conditions of thetransmission destination group. In other words, it is possible to changethe size if the receivable capacity changes due to the change of theamount of data stored in the terminal device. This flexibility cannot beobtained if the receivable capacity of all the terminal devices arestored beforehand.

(Sixth Embodiment)

FIG. 30 shows the construction of terminal device 3001 in the documentinformation communication system of the sixth embodiment of the presentembodiment. Terminal device 3001 comprises input operation unit 512,input control unit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminaldevice arrangement information storage unit 515, terminal devicecapability information storage unit 3002, media attribute-classifiedcompression information storage unit 3003, transmission documentinformation creation unit 3004, element data compression unit 3005,transmission document information temporary storage unit 518 andtransmission unit 519. The same construction elements as the firstembodiment have been given the same reference numbers. The followingexplanation will focus on only the differences.

Input operation unit 512 receives the user's input of document 601 inFIG. 6. Document information storage unit 514 is made to stored documentinformation control table 701 in FIG. 7 by input control unit 513.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 has storedterminal device arrangement information 3101 in FIG. 31 beforehand.According to terminal device arrangement information 3101, group "A"comprises "character portable terminal" whose address is "06-123-4567"and "FAX" whose address is "06-987-6543".

Terminal device capacity information storage unit 3002 has storedterminal device capacity information 3201 in FIG. 32 beforehand.Terminal device capacity information 3201 includes terminal device typecolumn 3202, media attribute column 3203 which shows outputable mediaattribute of the type of the terminal device, and capacity (size) column3204 which shows size of the outputable element data of the type of theterminal device. According to terminal device capacity informationstorage unit 3002, the "character portable terminal" can receive elementdata of media attribute "character" up to size

Media attribute-classified compression information storage unit 3003 hasstored media attribute-classified compression information 3301 in FIG.33 beforehand. Media attribute-classified compression information 3301comprises media attribute column 3302 of the element data, compressionrate column 3303 for the element data of that media attribute andcompression algorithm column 3304. According to mediaattribute-classified compression information 3301, when the mediaattribute of the element data is "character", commas and spaces aredeleted first, and characters in a message is discarded one by one fromthe end, realizing a desired compression rate. When the media attributeof the element data. is "monochrome still picture", the compression ratecan be set at 0.1 at most by a well-known picture compression method("Picture Information Compression" by Hiroshi Harashima. Oumsha. 1991,"International Digital Facsimile Coding Standards Proc IEEE" Vol. 68,No. 7, page 854-867, R. Hunter, A. H. Robinson 1980). When the mediaattribute of the element data is "audio", the compression rage can beset at 0.3 at most by a well-known audio compression method("International Standard of Multimedia Coding" by Hiroshi Yasuda.Maruzen. 1991, "High Efficiency Coding of Acoustic Signals").

On being activated by input control unit 513, transmission documentinformation creation unit 3004 reads the group name stored in group namecolumn 705 in document information control table 701 stored in documentinformation storage unit 514, finds the same group name in group namecolumn 3102 in terminal arrangement information 3101 stored in terminalarrangement information storage unit 515, reads the type and address ofone terminal device belonging to that group, sets its flag in flagcolumn 3101, creates the transmission document control table having thatterminal device as transmission destination terminal device--examplesare shown in FIGS. 34 and 35. Transmission document information creationunit 3004 writes the type and address of the terminal device intransmission destination terminal device column 3402 in transmissiondocument control table 3401. In the case of document information controltable 701 in FIG. 7, as the transmission destination group is "A",transmission document information creation unit 3004 writes "characterportable terminal" and its address "06-123-4567" in transmissiondestination terminal device column 3402.

Next, transmission document information creation unit 3004 reads thesize of the outputable media attribute of the type of the transmissiondestination terminal device and the receivable element data in terminaldevice capacity information 3202 stored in terminal device capacityinformation storage unit 3002. In the above example, the media attributeis "character" and the size is "60". Transmission document informationcreation unit reads one of the element data and size of the mediaattribute "character" of the document elements which are not flagged indocument information control table 701 stored in document informationstorage unit 514.

Next, transmission document information creation unit 3004 determineswhether the total of the above size and the size of the element datawritten in transmission document control table 3401 is equal to or belowthe size of the receivable element data read in terminal device capacityinformation 3201. If this is the case, transmission document informationcreation unit 3004 writes the media attribute in media attribute column3403, the size in size column 3404 and the element data in element datacolumn 3405, arrangement flag in flag column 706 for this documentelement in document information control table 701. If this is not thecase, transmission document information creation unit 3004 refers tocompression rate column 3303, compression rate column 3303 being inmedia attribute-classified compression information 3301 stored in mediaattribute-classified compression information storage unit 3003, andobtains the compressible size of the element data.

For example, when the media attribute is "character", as the compressionrate can be set freely, the compressible size is "1", which is theminimum size. If the media attribute is "monochrome still picture" andelement data size is "1000", the compressible size is "100".

If the compressible size is equal to or below the value obtained bysubtracting the total of the size of the element data already written intransmission document control table 3401 from size of the receivableelement data, transmission document information creation unit 3004transfers the media attribute to element data compression unit 3005,compresses the size of the element data to the size which is equal tothe subtracted value.

When the compressible size exceeds the value mentioned above, theelement data cannot be compressed. Therefore, it is impossible totransmit the element data to the transmission destination terminaldevice.

When the creation of one transmission document control table 3401 iscompleted, transmission document information creation unit 3004 readsthe type and address of the terminal device which is not flagged in flagcolumn 3103, the terminal device corresponding to the name of thetransmission destination group in terminal device arrangementinformation 3101 in terminal device arrangement information storage unit515, and creates new transmission document control table 3501 shown inFIG. 35. At this time, transmission document information creation unit3004 sets a flag in flag column 3103 for the terminal device. In thisway, transmission document control table 3501 is created.

Transmission document information creation unit 3004 receives thecompressed element data from element data compression unit 3005, writesthe media attribute in media attribute column 3403, the size in sizecolumn 3404 and element data in element data column 3405 in transmissiondocument control table 3401 and sets a flag in flag column 706 for thatelement data in document information control table 701.

Transmission document information creation unit 3004 determines whetherall flags are set in flag column in document information control table701. If that is not the case, it means there are still element data tobe transmitted. Therefore transmission document information creationunit 3004 searches for the transmission destination terminal devicewhich is not flagged. If flags are set for all of the available types ofterminal device or for all of the element data in document informationcontrol table 701, creation of the transmission document control tableis completed. Therefore, transmission document information creation unit3004 activates transmission unit 519.

Element data compression unit 3005 receives media attribute of theelement data, compressed size and the element data from transmissiondocument information creation unit 3004 compresses the element dataaccording to compression algorithm column 3304 in mediaattribute-classified compression information 3301 stored in mediaattribute-classified compression information storage unit 3003, andtransfers the compressed element data to transmission documentinformation creation unit 3004.

In the case of the fourth row of document information control table 701in FIG. 7, the element data size already written in transmissiondocument control table 3401 is "19+16+14"="49". If size "25" of elementdata "Place: Building Room" is added, "49" changes to "74", exceeding"60" which is the receivable element data size of the "characterportable terminal". Therefore, by compressing the element data size to"11", the element data can be transmitted.

On receiving size "11" and the element data from transmission documentinformation creation unit 3004, element data compression unit 3005 readsthe compression algorithm of media attribute "character" in mediaattribute-classified compression information 3301, deletes spaces of theelement data, discards letters in the message one by one from the end,and compresses the element data into "Place: Bui".

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 36. Explanation for Steps 3602-3606 isnot given here as these steps are the same as Steps 1402-1406 of thefirst embodiment.

In Step 3608, transmission document information creation unit 3004refers to terminal device capability information 3201 and obtains theoutputable media attribute of the terminal device in Step 3606 and itsreceivable element data size. Transmission document information creationunit 3004 reads one element data which corresponds to the outputablemedia attribute of the terminal device of the element data which is notflagged in flag column 706 in document information control table 701(Step 3610). Transmission document information creation unit 3004determines if the total of the above size of that element data and sizeof the element data already written in the transmission document controltable is equal to or below the size of the receivable element data inStep 3608 (Step 3612). If this is the case, transmission documentinformation creation unit 3004 writes the element data, its mediaattribute and size in the transmission document control table and sets aflag in document information control table (Step 3614) and returns toStep 3610. If this is not the case, transmission document informationcreation unit 3004 refers to media attribute-classified compressioninformation 3301 and calculates the compressible size of the elementdata (Step 3616). Transmission document information creation unit 3004determines if the calculated size is equal to or below the valueobtained by subtracting the size of the element data written in thetransmission document control table from the size of the entirereceivable element data in Step 3608 (Step 3618), returning to Step 3622if this is the case, or otherwise transferring the value, the elementdata and its media attribute obtained in Step 3618 to element datacompression unit 3005 (Step 3619).

Element data compression unit 3005 reads the compression algorithm ofthe media attribute transferred by transmission information creationunit 3004 in media attribute-classified compression information 3301,compresses the element data into the transferred size and transfers thecompressed element data size to transmission document informationcreation unit 3004 (Step 3620).

Transmission document information creation unit 3004 carries out suchprocessing as writing the transferred element data in the transmissiondocument control table (Step 3614).

According to the compression algorithm of the present embodiment, commasand spaces are deleted first, and characters in a message are discardedone by one from the end. It is also possible to just discard thecharacters in a message one by one from the last.

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, if there aresome element data having size which cannot be received by the receiverterminal device, it is possible to transmit the element data bycompressing it according to its media attribute.

(Seventh Embodiment)

FIG. 37 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the seventh embodiment of thepresent invention. Terminal device 3701 comprises input operation unit3702, input control unit 3703, document information storage unit 3704,terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515, terminaldevice capability information storage unit 3002, elementcontent-classified compression information storage unit 3705,transmission document information creation unit 3706, element datacompression unit 3707, transmission document information temporarystorage unit 518 and transmission unit 519.

The construction elements that are the same as terminal devices 501 and3001 of the first and the sixth embodiment have been given the samereference numbers and no explanation is given. The following explanationwill only focus on the differences.

In addition to the functions of the first embodiment, input operationunit 3702 receives the content of each document element 602, 603, . . ., 607 on receiving document 601 from the user. For example, it ispossible to click on a title displayed in a form of a menu on thescreen, which has been prepared beforehand for the document to beinputted. It is also possible to input the title with the keyboard.

In addition to the functions of input control unit 513 of the firstembodiment, input control unit 3703 writes the inputted title in thecontent column 3802 in document information control table 3801 as shownin FIG. 38 when the content of each document element is inputted.

Document information storage unit 3704 stores document informationcontrol table 3801 created by input control unit 3703. Documentinformation control table 3801 differs from document information table701 of the first embodiment in that it includes content column 3802 inwhich title of each document element is written.

For example, the first row of the document element shows that mediaattribute is "character", the content is "title", the size is "19", andelement data is "Notice of a Meeting".

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 stores terminaldevice arrangement information 3101, and terminal device capabilityinformation storage unit 3002 stores terminal device capabilityinformation 3201 like the case of the sixth embodiment.

Element content-classified compression information storage unit 3705consists of memory and stores element content-classified compressioninformation 3901 shown in FIG. 39. Element content-classifiedcompression information 3901 shows the compression algorithm for theelement data depending on the content of the document element,comprising media attribute column 3902, document element content column3903, compression rate column 3904 and compression algorithm column3905.

According to FIG. 39, the first element data has "character" as itsmedia attribute, "time" as its title, "any rate" as its compressionrate, "convert the time display method and discard from the end" as itscompression algorithm. For example, if the element data is "3:30", theelement data may be "3.30" with compression rate being "0.8" or it maybe "3" with compression rate "0.2".

The second element data has "character" as its media attribute and"place" as its title, "any rate" as its compression rate, and "discardfrom the end except for proper nouns" as its compression algorithm.

Element content-classified compression information storage unit 3705stores proper noun dictionary 4001 shown in FIG. 40. Proper noundictionary 4001 stores proper nouns for selecting proper nouns usedcompressing the above title "Place".

Transmission document information creation unit 3706 refers to elementcontent-classified compression information 3901 stored in elementcontent-classified compression information storage unit 3705, instead ofreferring to media attribute-classified compression information 3301when transmission document information creation unit 3004 exceeds thereceivable element data size in the sixth embodiment.

Under the same situation as the example of the sixth embodiment,transmission document information creation unit 3706 transfers thefollowing to element data compression unit 3707: the title "place", themedia attribute "character" and the element data of the content column3802 of the element data so that the size of the element data "Place:Building Room" is compressed into "11".

On receiving the element data from transmission document informationcreation unit 3706, element data compression unit 3707 reads thecompression algorithm of the corresponding title in elementcontent-classified compression information 3901 stored in elementcontent compression information storage unit 3705, compresses theelement data into the transferred size according to the algorithm, andtransfers the compressed size to transmission document informationcreation unit 3705.

For example, if the title is "Place", the compression algorithm is"discard characters one by one from the end except for proper nouns".Therefore, the proper nouns "" and "" are detected by referring toproper noun dictionary 4001. Characters are discarded one by one fromthe end except for "" and "". If the element data size is "11", theelement data becomes "Place: B ".

As mentioned above, document information control table 3801 stored indocument information storage unit 3704 is divided into transmissiondocument control tables 4101 and 4201 in transmission documentinformation temporary storage unit 518.

The operations of the present embodiment are almost the same as thesixth embodiment except for Steps 3616, 3619 and 3620 in the flowchartin FIG. 36, The following explanation will focus on only thedifferences.

Transmission document information creation unit 3706 refers to elementcontent-classified compression information 3901 and calculates thecompressible size of the element data (Step 3616).

Transmission document information creation unit 3706 transfers the valueobtained by the subtraction in Step 3618, the element data, its mediaattribute and its title to element data compression unit 3703 (Step3619).

Element data compression unit 3707 reads the compression algorithm ofthe title transferred from transmission document information creationunit 3706 in element content-classified compression information 3901,converts it to the element data whose size is compressed to the notifiedvalue and transfers the converted element data to transmission documentinformation creation unit 3706 (Step 3620).

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, element data canbe compressed with unimportant data being deleted. Therefore, maximuminformation can be transmitted within the receivable data size of thetransmission destination terminal device.

(Eighth Embodiment)

FIG. 43 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the eighth embodiment of the presentinvention. Terminal device 4301 comprises input operation unit 4302,input control unit 4303, document information storage unit 4304,terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515, terminaldevice capability information storage unit 3002, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4305, transmission document informationtemporary storage unit 518 and transmission unit 519.

Here, terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515,transmission document information temporary storage unit 513 andtransmission unit 519 are the same as the first embodiment, and terminaldevice capability information storage unit 3002 is the same as the sixthembodiment. Therefore they have just been given the same referencenumbers without explanation. The following explanation will focus on thedifferences.

In addition to the functions of the input operation unit 512 of thefirst embodiment, input operation unit 4302 receives input of documentelements 602, 603, . . . , 607, each of them having priority. Thepriority shows importance and order of the document element to beoutputted by the transmission destination terminal device, "1"representing the highest priority followed by "2", "3" and "4"representing decreasing priorities.

In addition to the functions of input operation unit 513 of the firstembodiment, input control unit 4303 receives the priority from inputoperation unit 512 and writes it in priority column 4408 for eachdocument element 4402, 4403, . . . , 4407 shown in FIG. 44 stored indocument information storage unit 4304.

Document information storage unit 4304 stores document informationcontrol table 4401. According to document information control table4401, the transmission destination group is "B", priority of the elementdata "Notice of a Meeting", "Start: 3:30 p.m." and "Place: BuildingRoom" is "1", and priority of the element data "End: 5:00 p.m." is "2".The same thing can be said about other element data.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 has storedterminal device arrangement information 4501 shown in FIG. 45beforehand. In "B", "character display pager" has been set.

Terminal device capability information storage unit 3002 has storedterminal capability information 4601 shown in FIG. 46 beforehand.According to terminal device capability information 4601, "characterpager" has "character" as its outputable media attribute and "60" as itsreceivable size.

On being activated by input control unit 4303, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4305 reads group name column 4409 in documentinformation control table 4401 stored in document information storageunit 4303.

Transmission document information creation unit 4305 sets "1" inpriority counter I of the document element, checks if all flags are setin flag column 4502 of the terminal device. which corresponds to thegroup name previously read in terminal device arrangement information.4501 stored in terminal device arrangement information unit 515. Ifflags are set for all the terminal devices, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4305 instructs transmission unit 519 totransmit the element data in the transmission document control tablestored in transmission document information temporary storage unit 518.If flags are not set for all the terminal devices, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4305 reads the address and type of oneterminal device which is not flagged, sets its flag and createstransmission control table 4701 shown in FIG. 47 in transmissiondocument information temporary storage unit 518.

Transmission document information creation unit 4305 reads the mediaattribute and size of the type of the terminal device which waspreviously read in terminal device capability information 4601 stored interminal device capability information storage unit 3002.

Transmission document information creation unit 4305 determines whetherthere is a document element having priority "I" in document informationcontrol table 4401 stored in document information storage unit 4303, thedocument element corresponding to the media attribute. If there is nosuch document elements, transmission document information creation unit4305 increments priority counter I by "1" and determines whether thevalue of counter I is equal to or below the greatest value of thepriority stored in document information control table 4401. If this isthe case, transmission document information creation unit 4305determines whether there is a document element having priority "1" indocument information control table 4401, the document elementcorresponding to media attribute. When it exceeds the greatest value ofthe priority, transmission document information creation unit 4305instructs transmission unit 519 to transmit the document data.

When there is a document element having priority "I", transmissiondocument information creation unit 4305 reads its size and determineswhether the total of the size of the element data already written in thetransmission document control table and the size of the element data isequal to or below the value of the seize previously read in terminaldevice capability information 4601.

If this is the case, transmission document information creation unit4305 writes the element data, media attribute and size in transmissiondocument control table 4701, sets a flag in flag column 4410 in documentinformation control table 4401 and determines whether there is adocument element having priority "I" whose media attribute correspondingto the outputable media attribute of the transmission destinationterminal device.

If this is not the case, transmission document information creation unit4305 refers to terminal device arrangement information 4501 anddetermines whether flags are sets for all transmission destinationterminal devices.

When document information control table 4401 in FIG. 44 is stored indocument information storage unit 4304, group name column 4409 showsthat the transmission destination group is "B", terminal devicearrangement information 4501 shows that the type of terminal device is"document display pager" whose address is "06-321-7654". Terminal devicecapability information 4601 shows that this "character pager" has"character" as its outputable media attribute and "60" as its receivabledata size.

Therefore, it can be concluded that document elements 4402-4406 having"character" media attribute in document information control table 4401can be outputted by the transmission destination terminal device. Whenthe element data size of each document element having priority "I" isadded, "19+16+25" becomes "60". When the size "14" of the element data"End: 5:00 p.m." having priority "2" is added "60" changes to "74". Itexceeds "60" which is the receivable size of the "character displaypager".

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 48.

First, transmission document information creation unit 4305 reads thegroup name of the document information control table and receivesdesignation of the transmission destination group (Step 4802), sets "1"in priority counter I of the document element (Step 4804), determines ifflags are set for the all terminal devices in the transmissiondestination group by checking terminal device arrangement information4501 (Step 4806), returning to Step 4822 if this is the case, orotherwise reading one terminal device and setting its flag (Step 4808).After getting the outputable media attribute of the terminal device andreceivable element data size in terminal device capability information4601, transmission document information creation unit 4305 determineswhether there is a document element which corresponds to the mediaattribute having priority "1" (Step 4810), reading one document elementif this is the case (Step 4812), or otherwise going to Step 4818.Transmission document information creation unit 4305 determines thetotal of the seize of the element data and the size of the element dataalready written in transmission document control table 4701 is equal toor below the receivable size, going to Step 4806 if this is not thecase, or otherwise writing the element data in transmission controltable 4701 and setting a flag for the corresponding element data indocument information control table 4401 (Step 4816).

In Step 4818, transmission document information creation unit 4305increments priority counter I of the document element by one, determineswhether that value is equal to or below the greatest value of thepriority written in document information control table 4401 (Step 4820),returning to Step 4310 if this is the case, or otherwise instructingtransmission unit 519 to transmit the element data (Step 4822).

Transmission unit 519 transmits the element data to the transmissiondestination terminal device according to transmission document controltable 4701 stored in transmission document information temporary storageunit 518 (Step 4824) and completes the processing.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, priorities aregiven to document elements; document elements which can be outputted bythe transmission destination terminal device is selected; and documentelements are transmitted according to their order of priority.

(Ninth Embodiment)

FIG. 49 shows the construction of the ninth embodiment of the terminaldevice in the document information communication system of the presentinvention.

Terminal device 4901 comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 490, outputable media attributeinformation storage unit 516, transmission document information creationunit 4903, transmission document information temporary storage unit 518and transmission unit 519.

The same construction elements with the first embodiment have been giventhe same reference numbers without explanation. The followingexplanation will focus on the differences.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 4902 has storedterminal device arrangement information 5001 shown in FIG. 50beforehand. Terminal device arrangement information 5001 includes groupname column 5002, address column 5003, terminal device type column 5004,terminal device priority column 5005 and flag column 5006.

Priorities "1" and "2" stored in priority column 5005 show priorities ofthe terminal devices. In the case of "A", priority "1" shows that the"character e-mail terminal" receives the document earlier than a "FAX".When the "character e-mail terminal" cannot receive the document, the"FAX" receives the document.

Transmission document information creation unit 4903 has the followingfunctions in addition to the functions of transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 in the first embodiment. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 4903 has priority counter J of theterminal device, sets "1" in the priority counter on receiving theindication of the transmission destination group.

Transmission document information creation unit 4903 determines if thereare any terminal devices which are not flagged in terminal devicearrangement information when flags are not set for all transmissiondestination terminal devices. If this is the case, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4903 reads the terminal device, sets its flag,and writes the element data of the outputable media attribute of theterminal device in the transmission document control table like the caseof the first embodiment.

If this in not the case, transmission document information creation unit4903 increments priority counter J of the terminal device by "1" anddetermines if the value is equal to or below the greatest value of thepriority of the group in terminal device arrangement information 5001.If this is the case, transmission document information creation unit4903 reads the terminal device, sets its flag and writes the elementdata of the outputable media attribute of the terminal device in thetransmission document control table like the case of the firstembodiment.

If this is not the case, transmission document information creation unit4903 increments priority counter J of the terminal device by one anddetermines whether the value is equal to or below the greatest value ofthe priority of the group in terminal device arrangement information5001. If this is not the case, transmission document informationcreation unit 4903 instructs transmission unit 519 to transmit theelement data. If this is the case, transmission document informationcreation unit 4903 determines again whether flags are set for all thetransmission destination terminal devices.

For example, if document information control table 701 in FIG. 7 isstored in document information storage unit 514, transmission documentcontrol table 1001 shown in FIG. 10 is created firstly, followed bytransmission document control table 1101 in FIG. 11.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 51.

Transmission document information creation unit 4903 reads thetransmission destination group name (Step 5102), determines if flags areset for all terminal devices in the transmission destination group byreferring to terminal device arrangement information 5001 (Step 5106),going to Step 5122 if this is the case, or otherwise determining whetherthere are terminal devices which are not flagged (Step 5108).

If there are any such terminal devices, transmission documentinformation creation unit 4903 reads one terminal device having priorityJ and sets its flag (Step 5110).

Transmission document information creation unit 4903 obtains theoutputable media attribute of the terminal device in the outputablemedia attribute information and determines whether there is element datahaving the same media attribute which is not flagged in the documentinformation control table (Step 5112), returning to Step 5108 if this isthe case, or otherwise reading the element data (Step 5114), writing itin the transmission document control table and setting its flag (Step5116), and returning to Step 5112.

In Step 5108, transmission document information creation unit 4903increments priority counter J by one (Step 5118), and determines if thevalue is equal to or below the greatest value of the priority of theterminal device of the group (Step 5120), returning to Step 5106 if thisis the case, or otherwise returning to Step 5122. In Step 5122,transmission document information creation unit 4903 instructstransmission unit 519 to transmit the element data.

On receiving the indication of the transmission, transmission unit 519transmits the element data written in the transmission document controltable to the transmission destination terminal device (Step 5124) andcompletes the processing.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, priorities havebeen given to the terminal devices belonging to the same groupbeforehand. And the transmission document is created according to theorder of the priority.

(Tenth Embodiment)

FIG. 52 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the present embodiment.

Terminal device 5201 comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515, outputable media attributeinformation storage unit 516, communication state inquiry reception unit5202, communication state inquiry response unit 5203, transmissiondocument information creation unit 5204, transmission documentinformation temporary storage unit 518 and transmission unit 505.

The same construction elements with terminal device 501 of the firstembodiment have been given the same reference numbers withoutexplanation. The following explanation will focus on the differences.

Communication state inquiry reception unit 5202 receives an inquiry fromanother terminal device asking whether communication is possible. Onreceiving the inquiry, communication state inquiry reception unit 5202notifies communication state inquiry response unit 5203 that it receivedthe inquiry.

On receiving the notification from transmission unit 5205 that thecommunication is possible, communication state inquiry unit 5202transfers the notification to transmission document information creationunit 5204.

Communication state inquiry response unit 5203 receives the notificationfrom communication state inquiry reception unit 5202 that it receivedthe inquiry of the communication state. And communication state inquiryresponse unit 5203 instructs transmission unit 5205 to transmit theresponse that it can communicate with an another terminal device.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 has storedterminal device arrangement information 5301 shown in FIG. 53beforehand. According to terminal device arrangement information storageunit 515, in group "A", "portable information terminal", "charactere-mail terminal" and "FAX" are set.

Outputable media attribute information storage unit 516 has storedoutputable media attribute information 5401 shown in FIG. 54 beforehand.

Transmission document information creation unit 5204 has the followingfunctions in addition to the functions of transmission documentinformation creation unit 517 of the first embodiment. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 5204 reads one transmissiondestination terminal device in terminal device arrangement information5301 stored in terminal device arrangement information storage unit 515,sets its flag, transfers the address of the terminal device totransmission unit 5205, and instructs transmission unit 5205 to askwhether it is capable of communication with another terminal device. Onreceiving the notification that communication is possible fromcommunication state inquiry reception unit 5202, transmission documentinformation creation unit 520 carries out the same processing astransmission document information creation unit 517 of the firstembodiment.

After that, if no notification is obtained from communication stateinquiry reception unit 5202 after a given time period, transmissiondocument information creation unit 5204 determines that thecommunication is impossible with the termination device being outside ofthe communication area, power of the termination device being OFF or theterminal device being in communication with another terminal device. Inthis case, the transmission document control table for the terminaldevice is not created.

For example, in the case of document information control table 701 inFIG. 7 being stored in document information storage unit 514,transmission document information creation unit 5204 asks whether it ispossible to communicate with "portable information terminal" whoseaddress is "06-705-4321" via transmission unit 5205. If there is nonotification from communication state inquiry reception unit 5202 aftera given time period, transmission document information creation unit5204 determines that communication is impossible and asks "charactere-mail terminal" whose address is "A@abc.def.jp" whether communicationis possible. On receiving the notification that communication ispossible from communication state inquiry reception unit 5202,transmission document information creation unit 5204 createstransmission document control table 1001 shown in FIG. 10. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 5204 asks "FAX" whose address is"06-123-4567" whether it is capable of communication. On receiving thenotification that communication is possible, transmission documentinformation creation unit 5204 creates transmission document controltable 1101 shown in FIG. 11.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 55.

First, transmission document information creation unit 5204 reads thetransmission destination group from the document information controltable (Step 5502), determines whether flags are set for all the terminaldevices in the group in terminal device arrangement information (Step5504), goes to Step 5516 if this is the case, or otherwise reads oneterminal device which is not flagged in the group and sets its flag(Step 5506), asks the terminal device whether it is capable ofcommunication with transmission unit 5205 via network 511 (Step 5508),returns to Step 5504 if this is the case, or otherwise obtains theoutputable media attribute of the terminal device by referring to theoutputable media attribute information (Step 5510).

Next, transmission document information creation unit 5204 creates thetransmission document control table to be transmitted to the terminaldevice, writes the element data having outputable media attribute in thedocument information control table in the transmission document controltable, sets its flag (Step 5512), and determines if flags are set forall of the element data (Step 5514), going to Step 5504 if this is notthe case, or otherwise instructing transmission unit 5205 to transmitthe element data (Step 5516).

Transmission unit 5205 transmits the content of the transmissiondocument control table stored in transmission document informationtemporary storage unit 518 to the transmission destination terminaldevice via network 511 (Step 5518) and completes the processing.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, ascommunication state of the transmission destination terminal device ischecked, creation of the document to be transmitted to the terminaldevice incapable of communication can be avoided and only the documentwhich can be communicated with another terminal device is created.

According to the present embodiment, each terminal device has itsoutputable media information. Instead of storing the outputable mediaattributes of all the terminal devices, each terminal device may storeits own outputable media attribute and receivable element data size andtransmit them in response to another terminal device.

(Eleventh Embodiment)

FIG. 56 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the eleventh embodiment of thepresent embodiment.

Terminal device 5601 comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, input control unit 513,document information storage unit 514, terminal device arrangementinformation storage unit 5602, group state inquiry address informationstorage unit 5603, outputable media attribute information storage unit516, group state inquiry response unit 5604, group state inquiryreception unit 5605, transmission document information creation unit5606, transmission document information temporary storage unit 513 andtransmission unit 5607. The same construction elements as terminaldevice 501 of the first embodiment have been given the same referencenumbers without any explanations. The following explanation will onlyfocus on the differences.

Terminal device arrangement information storage unit 5602 storesterminal device arrangement information 5701 shown in FIG. 57. Terminaldevice arrangement information 5701 has stored the following beforehand:group name column 5702, type column 5703 showing type of terminal devicebelonging to that group, address column 5704 and flag column 5705, allof which are the same ones in terminal device arrangement information801 of the first embodiment, and priority column 5706 showing priorityof the terminal device depending on the state of the group.

Here, the state of the group means circumstances of the user. Forexample, when the transmission destination group is an office, the usermay be present in the office, on his or her way home, away from theoffice on business, at a meeting, etc. Depending on the circumstances ofthe user, each terminal device has different priorities. Accordingly,priorities have been determined for the terminal devices beforehand.

According to terminal device arrangement information 5701, in group "A",three terminal devices are set. When the state of the group is"meeting", "character e-mail terminal" and "character display pager"have priority "1". Accordingly, document information is transmitted tothese terminal devices in the first place. When the entire documentelement cannot be transmitted to them, the rest of the document elementis transmitted to "FAX" which has priority "2".

Here, priority "0" means that the terminal device cannot be used. Whenthe group state is "meeting", document information is transmitted to"character e-mail terminal" having priority "1" firstly, and to "FAX"having priority "2" secondly. Nothing is transmitted to "characterdisplay pager" having priority "0".

Group state inquiry address information storage unit 5603 stores groupstate inquiry address information 5801 as shown in FIG. 58. Group stateinquiry address information 5801 stores one address for each group. Theaddress is for asking the transmission destination group for its state.For example, in group "A", "FAX" whose address is "06-123-4567" aredesignated. Group state inquiry response unit 5604 is necessary whenterminal device 5601 corresponds to the terminal device designated bygroup state inquiry address information 5801. It is not necessary inother cases. Group state inquiry response unit 5604 receives the user'sinput showing the circumstance of the user and stores it. For example,when the user comes back home from office, group state inquiry responseunit 5604 receives input of "back home" and stores it as its groupstate. On receiving the notification that there was an inquiry of thegroup state from group state inquiry reception unit 5605, group stateinquiry response unit 5604 instructs transmission unit 5607 to transmitthe group state to the terminal device which made the inquiry.

On receiving the state of the group to which the terminal device belongsfrom another terminal device, group state inquiry reception unit 5605transfers it to transmission document information creation unit 5606.

When terminal device 5601 has group state inquiry response unit 5604,group state inquiry reception unit 5605 receives the inquiry of thestate of the group to which terminal device 5601 belongs. On receivingthe inquiry, group state inquiry reception unit 5605 transfers it togroup state inquiry response unit 5604.

In addition to the functions of transmission document informationcreation unit 4903 of the ninth embodiment, transmission documentinformation creation unit 5606 has the following functions. Transmissiondocument information creation unit 5606 reads the name of the group inthe transmission document control table stored in document informationstorage unit 514, reads the address of the terminal device of the groupin group state inquiry address information unit 5801, asks transmissionunit 5607 for the state of the group, and transmits the address totransmission unit 5607. On receiving the state of the group from groupstate inquiry reception unit 5605, transmission document informationcreation unit 5606 creates the transmission document control table,using the priority corresponding to the state of the group in terminaldevice arrangement information 5701, which is the same processing as theninth embodiment.

In addition to the functions of transmission unit 519 of the firstembodiment, transmission unit 5607 receives the inquiry of the groupstate and address of the terminal from transmission document informationcreation unit 5606 and transfers them to the terminal device designatedby that address via network 511.

The operations of the present embodiment are almost the same as theninth embodiment. Only the following operations are added between Steps5102 and 5104.

On receiving the name of the transmission destination group,transmission document information creation unit 5606 reads the addressof the terminal device in group state inquiry address information 5801,transfers the address to transmission unit 5607 and instructstransmission unit 5607 to check the state of the group.

Transmission unit 5607 asks the terminal device designated by theaddress for its group state. When reception unit 5605 receives the stateof the group from the terminal device, transmission unit 5607 transfersthe state to transmission document information creation unit 5606.

Transmission document information creation unit 5606 uses the prioritycorresponding to the transferred state as the priority of each terminaldevice.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, by arrangementpriority of the terminal device depending on the sate of thetransmission destination group, terminal devices can be used efficientlyby the user.

(Twelfth Embodiment)

FIG. 59 shows the construction of the terminal device in the documentinformation communication system of the twelfth embodiment of thepresent embodiment.

Terminal device 5901 comprises input operation unit 512, input controlunit 513, document information storage unit 514, terminal devicearrangement information storage unit 515, outputable media attributeinformation storage unit 516, transmission document information creationunit 5902, document element transmission destination information storageunit 5903, transmission destination information creation unit 5904,transmission document information temporary storage unit 5905 andtransmission unit 519.

Transmission document information creation unit 5902 has the followingfunctions in addition to the functions of transmission documentinformation creation unit 516 of the first embodiment.

Transmission document information creation unit 5902 transcribes theelement data and size of each document element read in the documentinformation control table in the transmission document control table,sets a flag for each in the document information control table andwrites the document element transmission destination information, whichis a list of the document element, and the transmission destinationterminal device in document element transmission destination informationstorage unit 5903. FIG. 60 shows document element transmissiondestination information 6001.

Here, terminal device arrangement information 801 in FIG. 8 is stored interminal device arrangement information storage unit 515 and outputablemedia attribute information 901 in FIG. 9 is stored in outputable mediaattribute information storage unit 516. If document information controltable 701 in FIG. 7 is stored in document information storage unit 514,transmission document control tables 1001 and 1101 are stored intransmission document information creation unit 5905. Therefore,information 6007 which corresponds to transmission document controltable 1001 and information 6008 which corresponds to transmissiondocument control table 1101 are stored in document element transmissiondestination information 6001. For example, element data 6004 "Notice ofa Meeting" having "character" as its media attribute and "19" as itssize will be transmitted to "character e-mail terminal" having address"A@abc.def.jp".

When flags are set for all the transmission destination terminal devicesor when flags are set for all of the element data, transmission documentinformation creation unit 518 instructs transmission unit 519 totransmit the element data in the first embodiment. Instead, transmissiondocument information creation unit 518 activates transmissiondestination information creation unit 5904 in the present embodiment.

Document element transmission destination information storage unit 5903consists of memory and stores document element transmission destinationinformation 6001 in FIG. 60 created by transmission document informationcreation unit 5902.

On being activated by transmission document information creation unit5902, transmission destination information creation unit 5904successively reads the transmission document control tables stored intransmission document information temporary storage unit 5905, comparesthe transmission document control table with document elementtransmission destination information 6001 stored in document elementtransmission destination information storage unit 5903 and obtains thetransmission destination address of the element data which is notincluded in the transmission document control table.

Transmission destination information creation unit 5904 stores a setphrase "part of the document has been sent to ***", inserts the obtainedaddress in *** and handles it as appended data. Transmission destinationinformation creation unit 5904 converts the appended element data intomedia attribute (which can be outputted by the transmission destinationterminal device) which is the same media attribute with other elementdata in the transmission document control table and writes it in thetransmission document control table. At this time, transmissiondestination information creation unit 5904 writes the media attributeand its size.

FIG. 61 shows transmission document control table 6101 created in theabove mentioned way. Transmission document control unit 6101 comprisespart 6102 created by transmission document information creation unit5902 and part 6103 created by transmission destination informationcreation unit 5404. Part 6102 corresponds to transmission documentcontrol table 1001 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 62 shows transmission document control table 6202 having "FAX"whose address is "06-123-4567" as the transmission destination terminaldevice . Here, element data "YYYYY . . . " shows that appended data of"part of the document has been transmitted to A@abc.def.jp" is convertedto "monochrome still picture" which can be outputted by the terminaldevice.

Transmission destination information creation unit 5904 instructstransmission unit 519 to transmit the content of the transmissiondocument control table when creation of the additional element data iscompleted for all the transmission document control tables.

Transmission document information temporary storage unit 5905 storestransmission document control tables 6101 and 6201 created bytransmission document information creation unit 5902 and transmissiondestination information creation unit 5904, respectively. FIGS. 61 and62 show transmission document control tables 6102 and 6201.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 63. As Steps 6302-6310 are the same asSteps 1402-1410 of the first embodiment, explanation for them are notgiven here.

Transmission document information creation unit 5902 writes the addressand type of document element transcribed into the transmission documentcontrol table in transmission document information temporary storageunit 5905 and its transmission destination terminal device in thedocument element transmission destination information of test elementtransmission destination information storage unit 5903 (Step 6312) anddetermines if flags are set for all of the element data in the documentinformation control table (Step 6314), returning to Step 6304 if this isnot the case, or otherwise activating transmission destinationinformation creation unit 5904.

Transmission destination information creation unit 5904 reads onetransmission document control table (Step 6316), compares it withdocument element transmission destination information 6001 and obtainsthe transmission destination address of the document element which isnot included in the transmission document control table (Step 6318).Transmission destination information creation unit 5904 inserts theobtained address into the set phrase which has been stored beforehandand writes the set phrase into the transmission document control tableas appropriate additional element data (Step 6320), determines if allthe transmission document control tables have been read (Step 6322),returning to Step 6316 if this is not the case, or otherwise instructingtransmission, unit 519 to transmit the content of the transmissiondocument control table (Step 6324).

Transmission unit 519 successively transmits the content of thetransmission document control table stored in transmission documentinformation temporary storage unit 5905 to the transmission destinationterminal device via the network according to the indication bytransmission information creation unit 5904 (Step 6326) and completesthe processing.

According to the present embodiment, each type of terminal device hasstored the outputable media attribute information of other terminaldevices as well as its own media attribute information. However, it mayalso possible to ask the transmission destination terminal for theoutputable media attribute information like the case of the secondembodiment.

The present embodiment ensures that the document information istransmitted to the user for sure because the user can know the documentelement which was not transmitted to one terminal device by the firsttransmission was transmitted to which terminal device by the secondtransmission when the document element is divided and transmitted to aplurality of terminal devices.

(Thirteenth Embodiment)

FIG. 64 shows the construction of the terminal device of the documentinformation communication system of the thirteenth embodiment of thepresent embodiment.

Terminal device 6401 comprises first document information reception unit6402, first document information storage unit 6403, transmission requestunit 6404, request reception unit 6405, transmission unit 6406, seconddocument information reception unit 6407, second document informationstorage unit 6408 and document information unification unit 6409.

First document information reception unit 6402 receives the documentinformation from transmission unit 519 of the first to twelfthembodiments. On receiving the document information, first documentinformation reception unit 6402 makes first document information storageunit 6403 store it and activates transmission request unit 6404.

First document information storage unit 6403 stores document information6501 in FIG. 6 which was received by first document informationreception unit 6403. Document information 6501 stores documentinformation body 6502 and address information 6503 of another terminaldevice belonging to the same group as terminal device 6401.

On being activated by first document information reception unit 6402,transmission request unit 6404 reads address information 6503 ofdocument information 6501 stored in first document information storageunit 6403 and requests the terminal device designated by the address totransmit the document information.

On receiving the transmission request of the document information fromanother terminal device in the same group, request reception unit 6405instructs transmission unit 6406 to transmit the document informationstored in first document information storage unit 6403 to the anotherterminal device.

Transmission unit 6406 transmits the document information stored infirst document information storage unit 6403 to the terminal devicewhich requested the transmission.

On receiving the document information transmitted from another terminaldevice, second document information reception unit 6407 makes secantdocument information storage unit 6408 to store it and activatesdocument information unification unit 6409.

Second document information storage unit 6408 stores documentinformation 6601 shown in FIG. 66.

On being activated by second document information reception unit 6407,document information unification unit 6409 reads document informationbody 6502 having "character" media attribute stored in first documentinformation storage unit 6403 and document information 6601 having"monochrome still picture" media attribute stored in second documentinformation storage unit 6407. Document information unification unit6409 creates document information 6701 shown in FIG. 67, having documentinformation body 6502 and document information 6601.

Document information unification unit 6409 has a function of convertingdifferent media attributes in order to unify them in documentinformation or a function to unify the different media attributes asthey are.

The operations of the present embodiment can be explained as follows bymeans of the flowchart in FIG. 68.

When first document information reception unit 6402 in terminal device6401 receives the first document information (Step 6802), it makes firstdocument information storage unit 6403 temporarily store it (Step 6804).

Transmission request unit 6404 reads the address information included inthe first document information and requests the terminal device havingthat address to transmit the second document information (Step 6806).

When second document information reception unit 6407 receives the seconddocument information from the terminal device (Step 6808), it makessecond document information storage unit 6408 temporarily store it (Step6810).

Document information unification unit 6409 unifies the first documentinformation stored in first document information storage unit 6403 andthe second document information stored in the second documentinformation storage unit 6408 (Step 6812), and completes the processing.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, when thetransmission document is divided into document elements so as to betransmitted to a plurality of terminal devices, the original documentcan be reproduced at the receiver's end, because each terminal devicesmay ask another terminal device for their document elements by using theaddress added to the document information that the terminal devicereceived, and may unit them with the document elements each terminaldevice received in the first place. This is very useful when the wholedocument information cannot be transmitted to one terminal device due toits limited reception capacity.

In the present embodiment, the case where the original document wasreproduced from two sets of document information was explained, althoughit is also possible to use three or more sets of document information.In such cases, address information of other terminal devices is added todocument information 6501. Also, in the present embodiment, documentinformation unification unit 6409 just unifies the two sets of documentinformation using the address information. However, it may also possiblethat either or both document information is added information on how tounify them. For example, coordinates may have been added to bothdocument information 6501 and document information 6601.

(Fourteenth Embodiment)

FIG. 69 shows the construction of the document information communicationsystem of the fourteenth embodiment of the present invention. In thisdocument information communication system, a plurality of terminaldevices 6901, 6902, . . . , 6908 are connected via network 6909. Each ofthe terminal devices belongs to groups 6910, . . . , 6913, respectively.

Terminal device 6901 comprises document information storage unit 6014and transmission unit 6915. The same thing can be said to other terminaldevices.

Relay device 6900 is set in network 6909, relay device comprisingreception unit 6916, document information storage unit 6917, terminaldevice arrangement information storage unit 6918, terminal devicecapability information storage unit 6919, transmission documentinformation creation unit 6920, and transmission document informationtemporary storage unit 6921.

Document information storage unit 6914 stores the document informationcontrol table like the cases of the first to twelfth embodiments.Transmission unit 6915 transmits the document information control tablestored in document information storage unit 6914 as it is to receptionunit 6916 in relay device 6900.

Explanation of each of the construction elements of relay device 6900 innetwork 6909 is not given here as it is almost the same as terminaldevice 501 of the first embodiment except that it comprises receptionunit 6916 instead of input operation unit 512 and input control unit513.

Reception unit 6916 makes document information storage unit 6917 storedthe document information control table it received and activatestransmission document information creation unit 6920.

Eventually, instead of transmission unit 519 of the first embodiment,transmission unit 6922 in relay device 6900 in this network transmitsthe document information to the transmission destination terminaldevice.

As mentioned above, according to the present embodiment, relay device6900 in network 6909 can carry out the creation of the transmissiondocument control tables created by each transmission destinationterminal device. Therefore, construction of each terminal device can besimplified and futile communication does not occur between relay device6900 and the transmission destination terminal device.

Relay device 6900 can include each construction elements of the first tothe twelfth embodiment.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofexamples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be notedthat various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilledin the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart fromthe scope of the present invention, they should be construed as beingincluded therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A terminal device to be used in a system wheresets of transmission document information are transferred via a networkbetween terminal devices which are grouped together in a plurality ofdifferent groups, the terminal device comprising:document informationstorage means for storing document information which is made up of aplurality of document elements which are to be transmitted, including amedia attribute storage unit for storing, for each document element, amedia attribute of a set of element data which is a content of adocument element; and an element data size storage unit for storing, foreach document element, a size of the set of element data which is thecontent of the document element, wherein the terminal device capabilityinformation control means includes: an outputable media attributestorage unit for storing each media attribute which can be outputted byeach type of terminal device; and a terminal device capacity storageunit for storing a receivable capacity of element data for each type ofterminal device, terminal device arrangement information storage meansfor storing terminal device arrangement information made up of eachgroup name, a type of each terminal device provided at each group and anaddress of each terminal device; terminal device capability informationcontrol means for controlling terminal device capability informationwhich shows what kinds of document information can be outputted by eachtype of terminal device; transmission document information creationmeans for selecting terminal devices based on the group name of a groupto be transmitted to and the terminal device arrangement information andfor creating sets of the transmission document information from thedocument information to be transmitted in accordance with the terminaldevice capability information, including a transmission destinationterminal device selection unit for selecting a terminal device whosegroup name in the terminal device arrangement information coincides withthe group name to be transmitted to as a transmission destinationterminal device, wherein the transmission destination group name isincluded in the document information as a transmission address; anelement data determination unit for determining, if element data of amedia attribute which corresponds to a media attribute which isoutputable for the transmission destination terminal device determinedby the transmission destination terminal device selection unit werewritten in a present set of transmission document information, whether asize of a present set of transmission document information would bewithin the receivable capacity of the corresponding terminal device; andan element data write unit for writing, when the element datadetermination unit has determined that the size is within the receivablecapacity, the set of element data into the present set of transmissiondocument information; element data size calculation unit for calculatinga writable amount of element data when the element data determinationunit has determined that the size of the transmission documentinformation is not within the receivable capacity, wherein the writableamount of element data is calculated as the receivable capacity of thecorresponding terminal device which is written in the terminal devicecapacity storage unit minus a total amount of element data which hasalready been written in the set of transmission document information;compression information storage unit for storing compression informationwhich is made up of a compression method for element data and acompression rate for compressing the element data; compression possibledetermination means for determining whether element data which has beencompressed in accordance with the compression rate in the compressioninformation would be within the writable amount calculated by theelement data size calculation unit; element data compression means forcompressing, when the compression possible determination means hasdetermined that the element data would be within the rewritable amount,the element data to a size equal to the writable amount calculated bythe element data size calculation unit using the compression method inthe compression information; and compressed element data write means forwriting the element data compressed by the element data compressionmeans into the present set of transmission document information.
 2. Theterminal device of claim 1,wherein the compression information storagemeans includes a media attribute-classified compression informationstorage unit for storing a compression method and a compression rate foreach media attribute in element data, and wherein the element datacompression unit includes a media attribute compression unit forcompressing element data in accordance with the compression methodstored in the media attribute-classified compression information storageunit which corresponds to the media attribute.
 3. The terminal device ofclaim 2, wherein the transmission document information creation meanscreates a set of transmission document information for each transmissiondestination terminal device.
 4. The terminal device of claim 1,whereinthe document information storage means further includes an element datacontent storage unit for storing a title for each document element whichexpresses a content of a corresponding document element, wherein thecompression information storage means includes a content-classifiedcompression information storage unit for storing compression informationmade up of a compression method and a compression rate for each title inelement data, and wherein the element data compression means includes acontent compression unit for compressing element data using acompression method which corresponds to a title of the element datastored in the content-classified compression information storage unit.5. The terminal device of claim 4, wherein the transmission documentinformation creation means creates a set of transmission documentinformation for each transmission destination terminal device.
 6. Aterminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmissiondocument information are transferred via a network between terminaldevices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups,the terminal device comprising:document information storage means forstoring document information which is made up of a plurality of documentelements which are to be transmitted includes a media attribute storageunit for storing, for each document element, a media attribute of a setof element data which is a content of a document element; terminaldevice arrangement information storage means for storing terminal devicearrangement information made up of each group name, a type of eachterminal device provided at each group and an address of each terminaldevice; terminal device capability information control means forcontrolling terminal device capability information which shows whatkinds of document information can be outputted by each type of terminaldevice includes an outputable media attribute obtaining unit forobtaining an outputable media attribute for a transmission destinationterminal device selected by the transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit from the transmission destination terminal deviceincludes: a media attribute inquiry unit for sending an inquiry to thetransmission destination terminal device asking for an outputable mediaattribute; a media attribute reception unit for receiving a responsecontaining a media attribute from the transmission destination terminaldevice; an own media attribute storage unit for storing a mediaattribute of element data which is outputable for a present terminaldevice; and a media attribute response unit for transmitting, onreceiving an inquiry for an outputable media attribute from a terminaldevice, the media attribute stored by the own media attribute storageunit to the terminal device which sent the inquiry; transmissiondocument information creation means for selecting terminal devices basedon the group name of a group to be transmitted to and the terminaldevice arrangement information and for creating sets of the transmissiondocument information from the document information to be transmitted inaccordance with the terminal device capability information, including atransmission destination terminal device selection unit for selecting aterminal device whose group name in the terminal device arrangementinformation coincides with the group name to be transmitted to as atransmission destination terminal device, wherein the transmissiondestination group name is included in the document information as atransmission address, and an element data write unit for writing elementdata which has a media attribute which matches an outputable mediaattribute for a terminal device which is obtained from the outputablemedia attribute storage unit into the present set of transmissiondocument information; and transmission means for transmitting thecreated sets of transmission document information to the selectedterminal devices.
 7. The terminal device of claim 6, wherein thetransmission document information creation means creates a set oftransmission document information for each transmission destinationterminal device.
 8. The terminal device of claim 7, furthercomprising:media attribute conversion information storage means forstoring media attribute conversion information which shows how elementdata is convertible between different media attributes, wherein thetransmission document information creation means further includes:conversion determination unit for determining whether there is anyelement data which cannot be written into a present set of transmissiondocument information by the element data write unit; and conversionindication unit for indicating, when the conversion determination unithas determined that element data which cannot be written is present, aconversion of a media attribute of the unwritable element data to amedia attribute which matches the media attribute of the selectedtransmission destination terminal device, in accordance with the mediaattribute conversion information, wherein the terminal device furthercomprises: media attribute conversion means for converting element dataof a media attribute into element data of another media attribute inaccordance with an indication received from the conversion indicationunit, wherein the element data write unit writes the converted elementdata into the present set of transmission document information.
 9. Aterminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmissiondocument information are transferred via a network between terminaldevices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups,the terminal device comprising:document information storage means forstoring document information which is made up of a plurality of documentelements which are to be transmitted includes a media attribute storageunit for storing, for each document element, a media attribute of a setof element data which is a content of a document element; terminaldevice arrangement information storage means for storing terminal devicearrangement information made up of each group name, a type of eachterminal device provided at each group and an address of each terminaldevice; terminal device capability information control means forcontrolling terminal device capability information which shows whatkinds of document information can be outputted by each type of terminaldevice includes an outputable media attribute storage unit for storingeach media attribute which can be outputted by each type of terminaldevice; transmission document information creation means for selectingterminal devices based on the group name of a group to be transmitted toand the terminal device arrangement information and for creating sets ofthe transmission document information from the document information tobe transmitted in accordance with the terminal device capabilityinformation, includes a transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit for selecting a terminal device whose group name in theterminal device arrangement information coincides with the group name tobe transmitted to as a transmission destination terminal device, whereinthe transmission destination group name is included in the documentinformation as a transmission address, and an element data write unitfor writing element data which has a media attribute which matches anoutputable media attribute for the transmission destination terminaldevice selected by the transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit into the present set of transmission documentinformation, wherein the transmission document information creationmeans creates a set of transmission document information for eachtransmission destination terminal device; and transmission means fortransmitting the created sets of transmission document information tothe selected terminal devices.
 10. The terminal device of claim 9,further comprising:media attribute conversion information storage meansfor storing media attribute conversion information which shows howelement data is convertible between different media attributes, whereinthe transmission -document information creation means further includes:conversion determination unit for determining whether there is anyelement data which cannot be written into a present set of transmissiondocument information by the element data write unit; and conversionindication unit for indicating, when the conversion determination unithas determined that element data which cannot be written is present, aconversion of a media attribute of the unwritable element data to amedia attribute which matches the media attribute of the selectedtransmission destination terminal device, in accordance with the mediaattribute conversion information, wherein the terminal device furthercomprises: media attribute conversion means for converting element dataof a media attribute into element data of another media attribute inaccordance with an indication received from the conversion indicationunit, wherein the element data write unit writes the converted elementdata into the present set of transmission document information.
 11. Aterminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmissiondocument information are transferred via a network between terminaldevices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups,the terminal device comprising:document information storage means forstoring document information which is made up of a plurality of documentelements which are to be transmitted includes an element data sizestorage unit for storing a size of each set of element data in eachdocument element; terminal device arrangement information storage meansfor storing terminal device arrangement information made up of eachgroup name, a type of each terminal device provided at each group and anaddress of each terminal device; terminal device capability informationcontrol means for controlling terminal device capability informationwhich shows what kinds of document information can be outputted by eachtype of terminal device; transmission document information creationmeans for selecting terminal devices based on the group name of a groupto be transmitted to and the terminal device arrangement information andfor creating sets of the transmission document information from thedocument information to be transmitted in accordance with the terminaldevice capability information, includes a transmission destinationterminal device selection unit for selecting a terminal device whosegroup name in the terminal device arrangement information coincides withthe group name to be transmitted to as a transmission destinationterminal device, wherein the transmission destination group name isincluded in the document information as a transmission address; andtransmission means for transmitting the created sets of transmissiondocument information to the selected terminal devices, wherein theterminal device capability information control means includes a terminaldevice receivable amount obtaining unit for obtaining a receivableamount of element data for a transmission destination terminal deviceselected by the transmission destination terminal device selection unitfrom the corresponding transmission destination terminal device, whereinthe transmission document information creation means further includes anelement data write unit for writing an amount of element data which iswithin the receivable amount of the transmission destination terminaldevice which is received from the terminal device receivable amountobtaining unit into the present set of transmission documentinformation, and wherein the terminal device receivable amount obtainingunit includes: an amount inquiry unit for sending an inquiry to thetransmission destination terminal device asking for an receivable amountof element data; a reception amount reception unit for receiving aresponse containing the reception amount from the transmissiondestination terminal device; an own capacity storage unit for storing areceivable capacity of element data for a present terminal device; and areception amount response unit for transmitting, on receiving an inquiryfor a receivable amount from a terminal device, the receivable amountwhich is calculated by subtracting a reception amount of currently inuse from the receivable capacity stored by the own capacity storage unitto the terminal device which sent the inquiry.
 12. The terminal deviceof claim 11, wherein the transmission document information creationmeans creates a set of transmission document information for eachtransmission destination terminal device.
 13. The terminal device ofclaim 11, further comprising:first document information reception meansfor receiving, when a second set of transmission document information istransmitted to another transmission terminal at a same group as apresent transmission destination terminal device, a first set oftransmission document information which is appended with an address ofthe other terminal device; first document information storage means forstoring the first set of transmission document information received bythe first document information reception means; transmission requestmeans for sending a request to a transmission terminal whose address isappended to the first set of transmission document information askingfor transmission of the received second set of transmission documentinformation; second transmission document information reception meansfor receiving the second set of transmission document information whichis sent from the other terminal device in accordance with the requestfrom the transmission request means; and document informationunification means for unifying the first set of transmission documentinformation and the second set of transmission document information intoone set of transmission document information.
 14. The terminal device ofclaim 13, further comprising:request reception means for receiving therequest for the transmission of the second set of transmission documentinformation from the transmission request means; and second transmissiondocument information transmission means for transmitting the receivedsecond set of transmission document information in accordance with thereceived request to the terminal device which issued the request.
 15. Aterminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmissiondocument information are transferred via a network between terminaldevices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups,the terminal device comprising:document information storage means forstoring document information which is made up of a plurality of documentelements which are to be transmitted; terminal device arrangementinformation storage means for storing terminal device arrangementinformation made up of each group name, a type of each terminal deviceprovided at each group and an address of each terminal device; terminaldevice capability information control means for controlling terminaldevice capability information which shows what kinds of documentinformation can be outputted by each type of terminal device;transmission document information creation means for selecting terminaldevices based on the group name of a group to be transmitted to and theterminal device arrangement information and for creating sets of thetransmission document information from the document information to betransmitted in accordance with the terminal device capabilityinformation, includes a transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit for selecting a terminal device whose group name in theterminal device arrangement information coincides with the group name tobe transmitted to as a transmission destination terminal device, whereinthe transmission destination group name is included in the documentinformation as a transmission address; transmission means fortransmitting the created sets of transmission document information tothe selected terminal devices; a document element transmission addressinformation storage unit for storing document element transmissionaddress information made up of each document element in sets oftransmission document information created by the transmission documentinformation creation means and a list of addresses of terminal deviceswhich are transmission addresses for each document element; andtransmission destination terminal device address extraction means forextracting an address of a terminal device which is a transmissionaddress of a document element which is included in document elementtransmission address information but not included in a present set oftransmission document information, wherein the transmission documentinformation creation means includes an appending unit for appending thepresent set of transmission document information with the addressextracted by the transmission destination terminal device addressextraction means.
 16. The terminal device of claim 15, wherein thedocument information storage means includes a media attribute storageunit for storing, for each document element, a media attribute of a setof element data which is a content of a document element,wherein theterminal device capability information control means includes anoutputable media attribute storage unit for storing each media attributewhich can be outputted by each type of terminal device, and wherein thetransmission document information creation means further includes anelement data write unit for writing element data which has a mediaattribute which matches an outputable media attribute for thetransmission destination terminal device selected by the transmissiondestination terminal device selection unit into the present set oftransmission document information.
 17. The terminal device of claim 15,wherein the appending unit converts the extracted address to a samemedia attribute as written in the present set of transmission documentinformation by the element data write unit before appending.
 18. Aterminal device to be used in a system where sets of transmissiondocument information are transferred via a network between terminaldevices which are grouped together in a plurality of different groups,the terminal device comprising:document information storage means forstoring document information which is made up of a plurality of documentelements which are to be transmitted; terminal device arrangementinformation storage means for storing terminal device arrangementinformation made up of each group name, a type of each terminal deviceprovided at each group and an address of each terminal device; terminaldevice capability information control means for controlling terminaldevice capability information which shows what kinds of documentinformation can be outputted by each type of terminal device;transmission document information creation means for selecting terminaldevices based on the group name of a group to be transmitted to and theterminal device arrangement information and for creating sets of thetransmission document information from the document information to betransmitted in accordance with the terminal device capabilityinformation, includes a transmission destination terminal deviceselection unit for selecting a terminal device whose group name in theterminal device arrangement information coincides with the group name tobe transmitted to as a transmission destination terminal device, whereinthe transmission destination group name is included in the documentinformation as a transmission address; transmission means fortransmitting the created sets of transmission document information tothe selected terminal devices; and group state inquiry addressinformation storage means for storing an address of one terminal devicein each group which receives an inquiry about whether to transmit a setof transmission document information to any prioritized terminal deviceprovided in a group, wherein the transmission document informationcreation means further includes a group state inquiry unit for sendingan inquiry to a terminal device having an address which is in a groupname to be transmitted to and which is stored by the group state inquiryaddress information storage means, wherein the group name is included indocument information as a transmission address, wherein the terminaldevice further comprises first group state inquiry reception means forreceiving a group state from a terminal device to which an inquiry wassent, in reply to the inquiry from the group state inquiry unit, whereinthe terminal device arrangement information storage means includes agroup state corresponding priority level storage unit for storing apriority level of each terminal device in accordance with a group state,wherein the document information storage means includes a mediaattribute storage unit for storing, for each document element, a mediaattribute of a set of element data which is a content of a documentelement, wherein the terminal device capability information controlmeans includes an outputable media attribute storage unit for storingeach media attribute which can be outputted by each type of terminaldevice, and wherein the transmission document information creation meansfurther includes an element data write unit for writing element datawhich has a media attribute which matches a media attribute for aterminal device whose priority level is high in accordance with thegroup state received by the first group state inquiry reception meansinto the present set of transmission document information.
 19. Theterminal device of claim 18, wherein a terminal device specified by theaddress stored by the group state inquiry address information storagemeans further comprises:second group state inquiry reception means forreceiving an inquiry about group state from another terminal device; andgroup state inquiry response means for sending a response to the otherterminal device about a group state set in accordance with the inquiryreceived by the group state inquiry response means.
 20. A relayingdevice provided in a system where sets of transmission documentinformation are transferred via a network between terminal devicesprovided in a plurality of different groups, the relaying devicecomprising:reception means for receiving a transmission of documentinformation made of a plurality of document elements from any of theterminal devices, wherein the document information includes a group nameas a transmission address; document information storage means forstoring document information which is received by the reception means;terminal device arrangement information storage means for storingterminal information arrangement information made up of each group name,a type of each terminal device provided at each group and an address ofeach terminal device; terminal device capability information controlmeans for controlling terminal device capability information which showswhat kinds of document information can be outputted by each type ofterminal device; transmission document information creation means forselecting terminal devices provided in a group whose group name in theterminal device arrangement information matches the group name in thedocument information as transmission destination terminal devices andfor creating sets of the transmission document information from documentinformation to be transmitted in accordance with the terminal devicecapability information, including an element data determination unit fordetermining whether a size of a present set of transmission documentinformation would be within the receivable capacity of the correspondingterminal device; an element data write unit for writing, when theelement data determination unit has determined that the size is withinthe receivable capacity, a set of element data into the present set oftransmission document information; and element data size calculationunit for calculating a writable amount of element data when the elementdata determination unit has determined that the size of the transmissiondocument information is not within the receivable capacity, wherein thewritable amount of element data is calculated as the receivable capacityof the corresponding terminal device which is written in the terminaldevice capacity storage unit minus a total amount of element data whichhas already been written in the set of transmission documentinformation; and transmission means for transmitting the created sets oftransmission document information to the selected terminal devices,wherein each terminal device further comprises: a compressioninformation storage unit for storing compression information which ismade up of a compression method for element data and a compression ratefor compressing the element data; compression possible determinationmeans for determining whether element data which has been compressed inaccordance with the compression rate in the compression informationwould be within the writable amount calculated by the element data sizecalculation unit; element data compression means for compressing, whenthe compression possible determination means has determined that theelement data would be within the rewritable amount, the element data toa size equal to the writable amount calculated by the element data sizecalculation unit using the compression method in the compressioninformation; and compressed element data write means for writing theelement data compressed by the element data compression means into thepresent set of transmission document information.
 21. A terminal deviceto be used in a system where sets of transmission document informationare transferred via a network between terminal devices which are groupedtogether in a plurality of different groups, the terminal devicecomprising:document information storage means for storing documentinformation which is made up of a plurality of document elements whichare to be transmitted; terminal device arrangement information storagemeans for storing terminal device arrangement information made up ofeach group name, a type of each terminal device provided at each groupand an address of each terminal device; terminal device capabilityinformation control means for controlling terminal device capabilityinformation which shows what kinds of document information can beoutputted by each type of terminal device; transmission documentinformation creation means for selecting terminal devices based on thegroup name of a group to be transmitted to and the terminal devicearrangement information and for creating sets of the transmissiondocument information from the document information to be transmitted inaccordance with the terminal device capability information, includes atransmission destination terminal device selection unit for selecting aterminal device whose group name in the terminal device arrangementinformation coincides with the group name to be transmitted to as atransmission destination terminal device, wherein the transmissiondestination group name is included in the document information as atransmission address; and transmission means for transmitting thecreated sets of transmission document information to the selectedterminal devices; communication state obtaining means for obtaining acommunication state of the terminal device selected by the transmissiondestination terminal device selection unit, wherein the documentinformation storage means includes a media attribute storage unit forstoring, for each document element, a media attribute of a set ofelement data which is a content of a document element, wherein theterminal device capability information control means includes outputablemedia attribute storage unit for storing each media attribute which canbe outputted by each type of terminal device, wherein the transmissiondocument information creation means further includes an element datawrite unit for writing element data which has a media attribute whichmatches an outputable media attribute for a terminal device whosecommunication state obtained by the communication state obtaining meansis that communication is possible, and wherein the communication stateobtaining means includes: a communication state inquiry unit for sendingan inquiry to the terminal device selected by the transmissiondestination terminal device selection unit asking whether communicationis possible; a communication state inquiry reception unit for receivinga response from another terminal device sent in accordance with the ininquiry from the communication state inquiry unit; a communication stateinquiry response unit for sending a response showing that communicationis possible after receiving an inquiry about communication state fromanother terminal device; and a communication state determination unitfor determining that a communication state of a terminal device is thatcommunication is possible after the communication state inquiryreception unit has received a response from the terminal device and fordetermining that a communication state of a terminal device is thatcommunication is not possible when there has been no response to theinquiry sent by communication state inquiry unit within a predeterminedperiod.